When the Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, was cited for keeping inmates in holding cells for longer than the maximum time of 48 hours, it was another indicator of overcrowding. As mentioned previously in this series, overcrowding causes many potential problems, including making jails more stressful and more violent. Similarly, understaffing in jails can endanger inmates. Inadequate supervision is one of the results of understaffing, and Harris County Jail was cited by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) for multiple problems associated with understaffing in a Jail Inspection Report generated from a November 15-17, 2021, inspection. This particular inspection occurred about two months after 47-year-old Billy Wayne Dunn committed suicide at Harris County Jail and died on September 28, 2021.

Harris County Jail is Allegedly Non-Compliant with Rule §275.1- Regular Observation by Jailers

Per Rule §275.1, each jail facility must have the appropriate number of jailers 24 hours every day. Face-to-face observations of inmates in the general jail population must be conducted in increments not to exceed every 60 minutes. At-risk inmates must be observed every 30 minutes. These inmates with heightened supervision include those who are potentially suicidal, mentally ill, and assaultive.

• The TCJS inspector reviewed observation records and found that face-to-face inmate observations were not being conducted as required. The amount of time between rounds fluctuated between 90 and 144 minutes in areas where the maximum time should be every 60 minutes.

See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, and Part 12 of this ongoing series. In this continuing series, learn more about several recent deaths at Harris County, including the death of Billy Wayne Dunn.

Providing assistance to Texas inmates now or formerly detained in municipal or county jails is the purpose of this site. Implicating people or institutions in acts of wrongdoing is never intended on this site.

–Guest Contributor