Robertson County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) currently lists Robertson County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on October 4, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a special jail inspection report also issued on September 28, 2023. TCJS inspectors allege that the Franklin, Texas, jail violated 1 minimum jail standard.
The address of Robertson County Jail is 1006 W Hwy 79, Franklin, TX 77856. The jail has a 90-bed capacity. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.
Rule §275.1-Regular Observations by Jailers
Robertson County Jail was found to be non-compliant with the following rule in the chapter on the supervision of detainees. Rule §275.1-Regular Observations by Jailers states that every facility shall have the appropriate number of jailers at the facility 24 hours each day. Facilities shall have an established procedure for documented, face-to-face observation of all inmates by jailers no less than once every 60 minutes. Observation shall be performed at least every 30 minutes in areas where inmates known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, mentally ill, or who have demonstrated bizarre behavior are confined. There shall be a two-way voice communication capability between inmates and jailers, licensed peace officers, bailiffs, and designated staff at all times. Closed circuit television may be used, but not in lieu of the required personal observation. Electronic sensors or cameras capable of recording the required personal observations of inmates in high-risk cells or groups of cells shall be installed no later than August 31, 2020.
- A review of 30- and 60-minute observations revealed that the staff were exceeding those rounds by anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Face-to-face observations are a crucial aspect of detainee safety. There is strong evidence to support the fact that violence between inmates and suicide attempts are curbed when the required level of supervision is provided on a consistent basis.
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