Crockett County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Crockett County jail, in Ozona, Texas, failed a Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”) inspection on September 10, 2020.  Our office reviews a number of jail inspection reports each year, as we represent families of those who are seriously injured and/or die in Texas county jails, and city and town jails and holding facilities.  The report regarding the Crockett County jail’s failure to comply with minimum jail standards has significantly more issues than we typically see in such a report.  The TCJS inspector noted violation of ten standards in her report.

The inspector was unable to verify quarterly fire drill training for Crockett County, Texas jail employees for the last quarter of 2019.  Moreover, documentation provided to the inspector for review did not show that emergency power equipment was tested on a full-load transfer at least monthly, as required by minimum jail standards.  Jail administration was also unable to provide evidence of fire drill and air pack training for the last quarter of 2019. 

The TCJS inspector also noted that Crockett County jail inmates were not consistently classified before being housed in the jail.  Moreover, custody reassessments were not conducted within thirty to ninety days after the initial custody assessment.  This is required pursuant to minimum jail standards.  Jail administration also could not produce any classification audits for the year.

Cell searches for contraband had not been documented and maintained since December 27, 2019.  Further, jail administration could not provide documentation showing that inmate food menus were approved by a licensed dietitian since year 2018.  The inspector also saw trusty inmates preparing meals for inmates in the kitchen, unsupervised.  Finally, recreation documentation provided to the TCJS inspector for review did not demonstrate that inmates were provided recreation as required by minimum jail standards.  Hopefully, the Crockett County jail in Ozona, Texas will bring itself into compliance with minimum jail standards.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.