The Texas Commission on Jail Standards Cites Fisher County Jail in Roby, Texas, for 12 Alleged Violations of Minimum Jail Standards
County jails in Texas are inspected at least annually by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS), and they are also subject to an additional special inspection. After a 2018 special jail inspection at Fisher County Jail in Roby, Texas, a Special Jail Inspection Report was released on March 30, 2018, detailing 12 alleged violations of minimum jail standards.
One of the standards that was allegedly violated involves the requirement that personnel appointed or employed as jailers at county jails or as personnel assigned, employed, or appointed to directly supervise jailers must be licensed according to requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement under the provisions of Part 7. Investigators named six employees at the Fisher County Jail who had all allegedly worked in the capacity of a jailer without having first received a temporary jailer license.
Another alleged violation of minimum jail standards involves the safety of prisoners who are known or observed to be potentially suicidal or mentally disabled. According to the Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22, when prisoners are screened at intake, if they are found to be potentially suicidal or mentally handicapped, the magistrate and others are supposed to be notified according to specific guidelines. When investigators reviewed intake screen forms, they discovered files that did not contain the required mental health, supervisor, or magistrate notifications.
All minimum jail standards are important because they protect the safety and well-being of prisoners, staff members, and/or visitors.
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