San Patricio County, Texas Jail – Texas Commission on Jail Standards Inspection

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”), on or about January 4, 2019, conducted an inspection of the San Patricio County, Texas jail. The TCJS found several areas of non-compliance.

First, the TCJS determined that the San Patricio County jail held inmates for more than 48 hours in a holding cell pending intake and/or processing. Specifically, the inspector found that two female inmates had been housed in a detox/holding cell for approximately five days.

The inspector also found that several explosive hazards were being stored improperly in the lower level west hallway. The hallway did have a temporary plywood barrier erected across it, but the inspector had previously advised administration during a special inspection that those items could not be stored in the jail.

Moreover, the jail violated the requirement that inmates confined in a holding cell or detoxification cell shall be observed by facility personnel at intervals not exceeding 30 minutes. The inspector noted, when reviewing inmate observation documentation for such cells, that jail staff consistently exceeded the 30-minute requirement. In our law firm’s experience, failing to make such observations can result in inmates suffering harm, either at their own hands or at the hands of other inmates.

Finally, and more importantly, the inspector determined that jailers were not performing checks at least every 30 minutes in areas where inmates were known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, mentally ill, and/or who had demonstrated bizarre behavior. Hopefully, the San Patricio County Jail will quickly remedy these issues and thus prioritize prisoner safety.

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