Upshur County Jail in Gilmer, Texas 75644 is located at 405 N Titus St. #6. The jail’s bed capacity is 226, and the contact phone number is (903) 843-2541. The Upshur County Sheriff’s responsibilities include ensuring that Upshur County Jail is complying with minimum jail standards. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) operates in a managerial and supervisory capacity over Texas county jails, from construction to operations. TCJS also handles enforcement, including annual inspections at every county jail.

Restraint Chairs

It was the decision of TCJS to allow the use of restraint chairs in Texas jails. A great deal of controversy surrounds these highly restrictive restraint devices. Watchdog groups have uncovered evidence that in jails throughout the nation, patterns of abuse are somewhat common. Typical issues among those found to have violated minimum standards include using pepper spray on inmates in restraint chairs and humiliating them in various ways.

The greatest concern, however, is the discovery that custodial deaths occur in connection with restraint chairs at a higher rate than might be imagined. The manufacturers of restraint chairs acknowledge that there are inherent dangers associated with using them, such as causing potentially deadly blood clots to develop.

TCJS has provided guidelines for using restraints, including restraint chairs, but the timeline of 24 hours for allowing inmates to be strapped in one of these devices is more than double the time recommended by manufacturers as a maximum, which is usually 10 hours.

This website provides posts as possible assistance for inmates in Texas county jails. At no time is there meant to be an implication that persons or institutions have engaged in misdeeds. 

–Guest Contributor