Harris County Jail is Cited for Non-Compliance
Harris County Jail’s annual inspection took place from June 23-27, 2025. Inspectors with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) found the jail non-compliant with four minimum jail standards. Harris County Jail is now listed an additional time on the TCJS page for Texas jails with non-compliance issues. Non-compliance notices to Harris County Jail from January 13, 2025, and May 6, 2025, are still posted.
Inspector’s notes reveal the crux of the violations that Harris County is expected to correct upon receipt of the latest non-compliance notice, as follows:
- The inspection team discovered that inmates were being held in a holding cell for more than 48 hours.
- Records showed that Harris County had not completed the 4th quarter fire prevention inspection as required.
- The inspection team found fire control panels in trouble mode.
- Harris County exceeded the 30-minute observation requirement when an inmate was left in a court holding cell and they did not conduct a face-to-face observation for 5 hours and 15 minutes.
Certainly, all operational guidelines for Texas jails have some level of importance and contribute to inmate and jail staff safety. But of the violations above, the one that stands out as an immediate concern that could result in a custodial death is the lack of supervision of an inmate in a court holding cell for 5 hours and 15 minutes. The jail environment creates a culture in which suicide and self-harm are significantly heightened compared to outside correctional facilities.
Harris County Jail’s address is 701 N San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77002. The jail has an inmate capacity of 9,575 inmates.
How Potentially Dangerous is Lack of Supervision in Jails?
Inmates are checked on at staggered times not to exceed every 60 minutes, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes, depending on their housing status. Supervision is the single most effective deterrent to suicide and inmate violence. The jail environment tends to worsen mental health in those already at risk. All things considered, the supervision of inmates should never be taken lightly.
The following are summaries of two custodial deaths that have occurred in U.S. jails:
- Just this weekend, authorities said that within 2 minutes of being placed in a jail cell for the first time, an 18-year-old girl took off her sweater, wrapped it around her neck, and used it to hang herself. It was another 25 minutes before she was discovered unresponsive.
- An inmate with a history of suicidal behavior was left alone in a room with a telephone for 30 minutes. Tragically, the inmate wrapped the telephone cord around his neck and hung himself. He was later found unresponsive.
Dedicated Advocacy for Families After a Jail Death
Jails and detention centers have a legal duty to safeguard the well-being of every person they detain. If you suspect your loved one’s passing while in custody was caused by neglect, abuse, or lack of proper medical care, the Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C. is prepared to help you get the answers and accountability you deserve. Our firm concentrates on representing families in cases involving in-custody deaths and works relentlessly to protect inmates’ rights.
Don’t wait to take action—connect with us anytime by phone, text, or through our secure online form.
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