Liberty County Jail in Texas Fails Re-Inspection
The Liberty County jail, run by The Geo Group, Inc., failed a re-inspection on June 28, 2019. Therefore, the Liberty County jail, in Texas, continues to be listed by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards as being non-compliant (“TCJS”).
There are numerous issues on the June 28, 2019 report. The TCJS inspector, while reviewing medical files, determined that one prisoner had his or her prescription medication reviewed not until 8 days after being taken into custody, and that another prisoner did not have documented review on the date of the inspection (which was 24 days after intake). Further, the inspector noted that one prisoner was not receiving medication in accordance with the doctor’s order.
The inspector also noted that Liberty County jail staff were not completing the intake screening form, which identifies mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal people, in its entirety. Jail staff were also not making and/or documenting any notifications to a local judge as required by Texas law, when they are required to so by answers on the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical/Mental/Developmental Impairments.
The inspector also noticed numerous contraband items while walking through the facility, including coin change, bobby pins, pills, razor blades, lipstick, a paper clip, a homemade sterno flame, a tattoo gun, water weights, and pornographic photos. The inspector also noted so many preventive maintenance items that it would be prohibitive to list all of them in this post. The inspector wrote that he noticed “significant maintenance issues.” Hopefully, The Geo Group, Inc., and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department, will quickly work to bring the jail into compliance with TCJS standards.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone