Somervell County Jail is in Glen Rose, TX 76043 at 750 Bo Gibbs Blvd. The jail’s contact phone number is (254) 897-2242. Somervell County Jail has an inmate capacity of 57 and is run by the Somervell County Sheriff. The guidelines for jail operations are established by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). Each county jail in Texas is inspected annually. If a jail is found to be non-compliant with minimum jail standards, there will be additional inspections and further scrutiny.

Restraint Chairs

Various restraint devices can be used in Texas jails. Restraint chairs are among the devices approved by TCJS. A restraint chair is a chair that has locking mechanisms to restrain the ankles, wrists, lap, and torso. The chairs are usually on wheels, which makes it easier for the device to be taken to an inmate exhibiting bizarre or combative behavior.

Watchdog groups in the US have exposed the fact that custodial deaths often occur in restraint chairs. Increased scrutiny with regard to the way these restrictive devices have actually been used in county jails has further heightened concerns.

In violation of minimum jail standards throughout the US, the following are among the discoveries regarding what is going on in association with the use of restraint chairs:

• Inmates are often shocked with tasers while in restraint chairs or just before being strapped in.
• Jailers often use pepper spray on individuals strapped in restraint chairs.
• Strict mandatory timelines for observing inmates strapped into restraint chairs are frequently violated.

The purpose of posts on this website is to provide assistance to prisoners detained in Texas county jails. There is never an intention to denote that individuals or institutions have engaged in improprieties of any kind.  

–Guest Contributor