Jim Wells County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
Jim Wells County Jail in Texas Found Non-Compliant with State Standards
The Jim Wells County Jail in Alice, Texas was officially found non-compliant with Texas Minimum Jail Standards after a special inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) in January 2026. This notice of non-compliance highlights serious deficiencies in how the facility documented supervision of inmates — especially those who are mentally disabled or potentially suicidal.
According to the TCJS notice of non-compliance:
-
Missing Suicide Observation Logs:
During review of suicide observation logs — which are required to prove that inmates identified as mentally disabled or at risk of self-harm are being checked frequently — the county could not produce 11 out of 78 logs requested for inspection. -
Standard Violated:
The jail was cited for violating Minimum Standard §273.5(5), which requires adequate supervision and proper documentation of inmates who are mentally disabled or potentially suicidal.
When a jail cannot produce documentation that required observation rounds occurred, it raises concerns about whether inmates were actually checked on as mandated — a core safeguard to protect vulnerable people in custody. Here is another post from our website about the Jim Wells County jail:
https://deanmalonelawfirm.com/jail_neglect_cat/jim-wells-county-sheriffs-department/
This category page includes prior inspection findings and historical context about the Jim Wells County Jail, including a March 2024 TCJS citation over supervision failures tied to inmate observation intervals following an in-custody death.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone