Falls County Jail Fails an Inspection for Understaffing

Falls County Jail was inspected by Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspectors on September 26, 2024. Subsequently, a notice of non-compliance was issued to the Marlin, Texas, jail on October 9. The jail was cited for violating two minimum jail standards. This was a tremendous improvement over the results of an inspection of Falls County Jail earlier this year. After a March 4 inspection, the jail was cited for 14 violations. The two citations issued after the September inspection were repeat offenses and involved understaffing and staff members working without a valid TCOLE jailer’s license. Inspectors’ notes for both follow:

While complaint case #38352 was being investigated, it was discovered that Falls County Jail did not meet the required 1 to 48 ratio on August 22, 2024. On that day, there was only 1 jailer on shift and 53 detainees.
Staffing rosters were reviewed, and it was discovered that personnel with no TCOLE jailers license were assigned to the dispatch/control room on August 23, 2024, and August 25, 2024.

Falls County Jail’s address is 2847 State Highway 6 in Marlin, Texas 76661. The jail’s bed capacity is 107.

Understaffing is a Widespread Problem in U.S. Jails

An awareness of understaffing in jails may come about as a result of failed jail inspections, but the negative consequences are felt among the inmates. In a county outside Texas, there were major staffing shortages at a juvenile detention facility, resulting in an increase in assaults by young inmates. This led to a safety and security analysis. Then, after a youth fight, seven staff members at the jail were sent to a hospital for treatment. The county is offering hiring bonuses because more than one-fifth of the juvenile detention officer positions are presently unfilled.

At an adult jail facility outside Texas, an audit revealed the depth of the problem of understaffing. The jail is short-staffed by more than 100 corrections officers (COs). Further review found that 504 COs needed to be hired for all shifts to be covered without overtime. Currently, to cover all shifts, 38% of the COs need to work overtime daily. The jail is increasing recruitment efforts, offering wellness and stress-management programs to COs, and looking at moving to an electronic scheduling system in order to reduce overwork.
Another alarming statistic at the jail is that 84 of 146 healthcare positions are vacant. This could potentially expose inmates to medical neglect.

24/7 Support for Jail Death Cases

Jails have a duty to protect the well-being of all individuals in their care. If you’ve been incarcerated in a Texas jail and experienced serious injuries due to neglect, including medical neglect, contact the Law Offices of Dean Malone. With a deep commitment to asserting inmates’ rights, we are here to offer legal assistance. If you suspect that a loved one’s death in jail was caused by medical neglect or abuse, we may be able to help. We have a team that focuses exclusively on cases involving jail deaths.

Don’t wait—contact us today. We are available 24/7 by phone, text, or through our online form.

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