Terrell County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection
The Terrell County Jail, in Sanderson, Texas, failed an inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”). The inspection occurred on September 27, 2021. The TCJS inspector found that the jail violated seven minimum jail standards, some of which we mention here.
The TCJS inspector determined that the Terrell County jail had not conducted quarterly fire drills and emergency training during the prior twelve months. There also was not quarterly fire prevention documentation for the prior twelve months, nor was there an inspection of the jail by a local fire official during the prior year. Quarterly air pack training also had not been conducted in a year. The jail’s generator had not been tested during the inspection, and no staff had knowledge as to how to perform the load test. No load tests had been conducted during the prior year. Health inspections had not been conducted during the prior year, and jail administration were advised by the TCJS inspector that they could not house inmates until the inspection was completed.
Finally, and very concerning, the jail had not conducted suicide prevention training for staff during the prior twelve months in accordance with the jail’s operational plan. Our Texas law firm unfortunately handles a significant number of jail suicide cases. It is critical that jail staff be trained regarding suicides, including warning signs and the necessity of continuous monitoring of suicidal inmates. Hopefully, the Terrell County, Texas jail will bring itself into compliance with minimum jail standards.
Dean Malone
Dean Malone