Freestone County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Freestone County jail, in Fairfield, Texas, recently received a notice of noncompliance from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). The Freestone County jail is now listed as being non-compliant at the TCJS website.

The TCJS indicated that four minimum jail standards were violated, and that corrective measures were required. The TCJS required the jail to obtain inspection by a local fire official. The TCJS also noted problems with classification records. We have learned that failure to appropriately classify inmates can lead to serious injury and/or death. The TCJS also determined that certain Freestone County jail staff had not completed the required four hours of classification training. Even so, Freestone County was allowing such persons to perform classification duties. This too can lead to serious injury or death.

Finally, when reviewing medical files, the TCJS determined that Freestone County jail staff were not completing the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments in its entirety. This is a serious problem, as we are handling and have handled a number of cases against Texas counties as a result of suicides and death caused by other issues. Hopefully, the Freestone County jail will bring itself into compliance and avoid serious injury or death to inmates.

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.