Police Misconduct Lawyer Frisco, Texas – Kinney County Jail is Cited for being Non-compliant in 8 Areas
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards routinely inspects Texas jails, and inspection reports are available to the public. The safety of inmates is one of the major reasons for accountability. Considering the fact that jail suicides and other custodial deaths are not infrequent, this issue is very important to inmates and their families. Cities across the nation have been paying families of deceased inmates millions in federal lawsuits, due to such things as negligence and failure to follow minimum jail standards. Kinney County Jail has recently been cited for alleged violations of jail standards in eight different areas.
There are two cities in Kinney County, those being Brackettville and Spofford. The safety of inmates is no less important in small counties than in larger ones. One of the areas in which inspectors found that Kinney County Jail was noncompliant involves protecting inmates known to be mentally ill, potentially suicidal, assaultive, or are known to demonstrate bizarre behaviors when confined. Jail staff members allegedly went over the 60-minute observations of inmates in general population areas. These overages allegedly took place in an established pattern over the course of several months. These are the types of situations which county jails have been sued for, since they are attributed with making inmates more vulnerable to committing jail suicides.
The following are among the other alleged violations at Kinney Count Jail, based on an April 13, 2017, Jail Inspection Report:
- Facilities are supposed to be secure in order to protect staff and visitors from inmates, prevent or deter escapes, and protect inmates from one another. The jail inspector observed that the entry to the jail was locked open with a chain on a wall. It was possible to walk directly into holding cells and the booking area because the unsecured door gives open access to the jail’s center hub.
- Two staff members had no documentation regarding life safety training, and one of those jailers was unaware of emergency procedures to take when an alarm was activated.
As with every post on this website, we are only providing information in this post and do not make any allegation or assertion that anyone acted inappropriately or engaged in misconduct.
–Guest Contributor
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