Pecos County Jail is Cited for Two Rule Violations
Pecos County Jail in Fort Stockton, Texas, has been cited by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) for two jail violations. Setting operational standards for county and municipal jails in Texas is the job of TCJS. County jails are inspected at least annually. Records show that Pecos County Jail has maintained standards, until now, since 2017, when many deficiencies related to inmate safety were discovered. Pecos County Jail’s address is 1774 N Hwy 285, Fort Stockton, Texas 79735. The bed capacity at the Fort Stockton jail is 49.
Two Alleged Violations of Minimum Jail Standards
Showers. Under the heading of Clothing, Personal Hygiene, and Bedding, there is a rule about showers. County jails are required to allow detainees to shower at least every other day or, if possible, more often. In certain circumstances, opportunities for daily showers are required. With this in mind, the notes of a TCJS inspector, which follow, make a terrible implication.
- During a complaint investigation, it was discovered that an inmate’s shower was turned off for disciplinary reasons. No documentation exists to indicate that this inmate was offered a shower every other day from May 2023 to December 2023.
Physical Exercise. County jails must allow one hour of supervised physical recreation or physical exercise at least three days each week. The investigation of a complaint against Pecos County Jail revealed that a detainee was not offered recreation for at least one hour at least three days per week.
Does This Violate Detainees’ Rights?
Hygiene and physical exercise are recognized as basic human rights. Deprivation of basic rights is unacceptable. Presumably, these rights come under the 8th Amendment of the United States Constitution through “cruel and unusual punishments,” which are not allowed. The 14th Amendment might also apply, depending on whether the inmate is a pretrial detainee or has been convicted. In the case of Pecos County Jail, a complaint against the jail brought these alleged conditions to light. TCJS usually monitors jails until they have made changes so that they are compliant with all requirements.
Are Jails Required to Provide Medical Care?
When individuals are arrested and placed in jail, they have a right to necessary medical care. Tragically, denial of medical care to inmates is rather common in local jails. As a result, many inmates have unnecessarily suffered traumatic injury and even death. Stories of jail deaths caused by alleged medical neglect are often made public, such as the following:
- A 27-year-old woman from Texas died in a Nevada county jail after being denied medical assistance. The young woman was detoxing and had apparently suffered a seizure in her cell. Afterward, she was motionless for more than six hours. A deputy finally went to her cell and attempted to wake her, but he couldn’t. The deputy did not try to resuscitate her nor did he call for help from the medical staff. She was allegedly left dead until the next morning.
Has Jail Neglect Caused You or a Loved One Serious Injury or Death?
Laws dictate the type of jail neglect claims that can be brought before a court. Have you been in jail and believe that jail neglect has caused you to suffer life-altering injuries? Or has a loved one died in jail due to negligence? Our law firm is devoted to helping in these situations when we can. We have a team dedicated to working on our jail neglect death cases. Contact us today.
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