Shelby County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Shelby County Jail, in Center, Texas, recently failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). The TCJS inspection occurred on or about July 12, 2022. The Shelby County, Texas jail is now listed as being non-compliant by the TCJS.

The TCJS inspector found that the Shelby County Jail violated a minimum standard regarding the fire alarm panel. The TCJS inspector determined that the panel failed to show the location of an active smoke detector, during a fire drill. Interestingly, the issue was an area of technical assistance during a 2021 annual inspection.

The TCJS inspector also determined, amazingly, that a jail staff member did not possess a valid Texas Commission on Law Enforcement jailer’s license. The “jailer” was on duty and actively supervising inmates at the time of inspection. There’s absolutely no excuse for allowing a non-licensed jailer to interact with and have supervision over inmates. Using unlicensed jailers can lead to significant injury and/or death. Hopefully, that did not occur in the Shelby County Jail as a result of failing to assure that all jailers were licensed by TCOLE.

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.