A lieutenant working with a Florida county sheriff’s office who gained extensive experience working in local jails conducted a literature review on the issue of jail overcrowding. Conclusions about the widespread problem include that overcrowding increases stress in the best of conditions, and anxiety is exponentially increased among individuals in jails who often have limited coping skills.

Practical observations include that correctional officers are less able to monitor inmates adequately as the jail population increases. Placing two inmates in a cell designed for single occupancy can contribute to violence. This type of situation is also associated with an increase in sexual acts among inmates. Authorities are less able to segregate violent inmates and victims of violence as a way of preventing further attacks. Mental health issues consistently worsen in overcrowded jails, studies show.

With everything known about jail overcrowding, it can be alarming to realize that overcrowding is a problem right here in Texas, according to indications found in jail inspection reports. This series began with a reference to a jail inspection report prepared for Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas. That report has now been posted on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards website and details will be provided in the next installment.

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, and Part 10 of this ongoing series.

Information on this website is provided as a benefit expressly for county and municipal jail inmates in Texas. Alleging that people or institutions have been engaging in misdeeds is never an intention on this site.

–Guest Contributor