The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) now lists Van Zandt County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. Records show that a special jail inspection report issued on March 29, 2023, cited Van Zandt County Jail for noncompliance. TCJS inspectors found that the Canton, Texas, jail violated 5 minimum jail standards.

The address of Van Zandt County Jail is 1220 W Dallas St, Canton, TX 75103. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.

RULE §263.42 is in the chapter about Life Safety Rules, the subchapter entitled Plans and Drills for Emergencies, and section 42 is about the Fire Prevention Plan. The facility shall be inspected annually by a local fire official who is certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or who meets the alternative criteria provided in Government Code 419.909 and shall pass the inspection.

• It was discovered upon review of the records at Van Zandt County Jail that the facility was last inspected by a local fire official in August 2021. This places the annual inspection past due by eight months.

RULE §265.3, in the chapter about Admission and the section on Observation During Holding. Inmates confined in a holding cell or detoxification cell shall be observed by facility personnel at intervals not to exceed 30 minutes.

• Records revealed that staff routinely exceeded the required 30-minute observation time period.

RULE §273.6(3), in the chapter on Health Services, is about Restraints. A documented observation of the inmate shall be conducted every 15 minutes, at a minimum. The observations should include an assessment of the security of the restraints and the circulation to the extremities.

• Observation checks of inmates restrained with the restraint chair were conducted from 1 to 5 minutes over the required 15-minute time frame on multiple occasions.

RULE §275.1 is in the chapter on the Supervision of Inmates. Section 1 addresses Regular Observation by Jailers. Facilities shall have an established procedure for documented, face-to-face observation of all inmates by jailers no less than once every 60 minutes. Observation shall be performed at least every 30 minutes in areas where inmates known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, mentally ill, or who have demonstrated bizarre behavior are confined.

• The records reviewed revealed that staff routinely exceeded the required 30-minute observation period.

RULE §279.1(2) is in the chapter on Sanitation and the section on the Sanitation Plan. Subpart 2 states that water and sewage systems not part of a public system and food preparation areas shall be inspected at least annually by health authorities and a record kept for each inspection;

• The facility was last inspected by health authorities on November 3, 2021. This places the annual inspection past due by four months.