Smith County, Texas Jail Fails Inspection

The Smith County jail, in Tyler, Texas, failed a Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”) inspection. The inspection occurred from June 21, 2021 – June 23, 2021. As a result, the Smith County jail is now listed as being non-compliant.

The TCJS inspector found at least six violations. The inspector determined that the smoke management system failed to operate while under emergency power. Further, when reviewing inmate files, the TCJS inspector found multiple property records to be blank and missing required signatures from the receiving officer and inmate.

Inmates also were not receiving a change of clothing at least once a week, and washable items were not exchanged for replacements at least once each week. The TCJS inspector found, when reviewing inmate files, multiple inmate rules acknowledgment forms were blank and missing inmate signatures. Finally, when reviewing inmate grievances, the TCJS inspector determined that grievances were not handled in accordance with the approved grievance plan. Hopefully, the Smith County jail will quickly bring itself within compliance.

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.