Sutton County Jail is in Sonora, Texas 76950 at 401 E Oak Street. The jail has an inmate capacity of 28, and the contact phone number is (325) 387-2288. The Sutton County Sheriff runs Sutton County Jail, and the goal for all county jails is to meet minimum jail standards. Guidelines for jail operations are established by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS). When annual jail inspections are conducted, inspectors look for verification that a jail is compliant with the mandatory codes. When a jail is non-compliant, TCJS applies the added pressure of heightened scrutiny and also provides assistance, when needed, to bring it into compliance.

Restraint Chairs

If inmates are behaving in a manner that makes them a potential danger to themselves or others, jail standards allow for the use of restraints to gain control of the individuals. TCJS has approved various methods of restraint, and the least restrictive is to be used in each instance. In extreme cases, the most restrictive device that may be used is a restraint chair, which is approved in Texas.

It is essential to use restraint chairs according to manufacturers’ guidelines because there is a potential risk to individuals placed in the chairs. Jail is not supposed to be a place where people go to die. Yet, far too often, custodial deaths have occurred following time spent in a restraint chair.

Studies show that there is an increased risk of suffering a pulmonary embolism, which is a potentially deadly blood clot, after being in a restraint chair. This is especially applicable if physical trauma follows a period of immobility.

The purpose of this site’s posts is to assist Texas prisoners detained in county jails. It is never intended to infer that entities or individuals have been involved in misdeeds. 

–Guest Contributor