Washington County Jail in Brenham, Texas 77833 is located at 1206 Old Independence Road. The jail’s bed capacity is 177, and the contact phone number is (979) 277-6255. The Washington County Sheriff handles operations of Washington County Jail. Like all Texas county jails, the guidelines for jail operations are provided by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS).  Texas legislators put TCJS in charge of everything from jail construction to jail operations. The Commission also handles enforcement, and jail inspections are at the heart of ensuring that county jails uphold minimum jail standards. 

Restraint Chairs

In making provisions for jailers to get inmates under control in volatile situations, TCJS approved a range of restraint devices. Among them are restraint chairs, although they are controversial and have been banned in various U.S. jurisdictions.

Concerns about restraint chairs have been growing in recent years as a result of research conducted by various accountability groups. Data suggests that there is a consistent pattern of abuse associated with restraint chairs among certain jails throughout the country. For instance, many inmates are pepper-sprayed while in a restraint chair. Alarmingly, inmates are often intentionally humiliated while restrained in a chair, such as being placed in a high-traffic area and having their genitals exposed.

Manufacturers of restraint chairs include warnings that give a hint as to potential dangers. As one example, manufacturers’ instructions say that using the restraint chair can lead to serious injury or death if the person operating the chair has not read or does not understand instructions for use.

This website’s posts are meant as resources to help Texas county jail inmates, whether current or former. There is no intention to infer wrongs on the part of persons or institutions. 

–Guest Contributor