Red River County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Red River County jail, in Clarksville, Texas, recently failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”). The TCJS inspection occurred on October 7, 2020, and the Red River County jail is now listed as being non-compliant.

TCJS inspectors noted that the Red River County jail violated two minimum jail standards. First, minimum jail standards require that staff be trained for emergency situations immediately upon employment, and then no less than each calendar quarter, to include training regarding fire, emergency, evacuation drills, and location and use of equipment. However, at the Red River County jail, not all staff received required life-safety training during the second and third quarters.

TCJS inspectors also noted that the Red River County jail also violated a minimum standard regarding intake screening. That standard requires certain procedures to identify inmates who are known or observed to be mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal. TCJS inspectors noted that the Red River County jail is notifying a magistrate, but several magistrate notification forms were completed incorrectly and did not advise the magistrate of indicators documented on the mental health screening form.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.