TCJS Issues Technical Assistance Memo

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) issued a technical assistance memorandum on March 3, 2022, addressed to all sheriffs and jail administrators in Texas. Brandon Wood, TCJS Executive Director, wrote the memorandum. He wrote that a recent Texas law requires the TCJS to change its regulation regarding inmate complaints. Jails are now required to include in their inmate handbooks information about how an inmate can file a complaint with TCJS. The law also requires that jails across Texas post such information prominently in the jail. The change was published for comment and adopted by the TCJS board on February 24, 2022. All county jails must comply with the revision no later than April 1, 2022.

The technical assistance memorandum includes an attachment, which points out that TCJS cannot investigate certain claims, including violation of civil rights and/or criminal acts.

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.