The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, on May 8, 2019, inspected the Bexar County jail. The Bexar County jail failed the inspection. The TCJS inspector cited the jail because it did not comply with Section 275 of Texas minimum jail standards. After the inspector reviewed documentation provided by jail administration, the inspector determined that San Antonio jail staff exceeded the required 60-minute face-to-face observations by as much as two hours.
Failure to properly observe inmates is a serious jail standard violation. Many inmates are at risk of significant injuries and/or death, depending on housing assignments, medical history, and mental health history. The Bexar County jail seems to continue to struggle to bring itself within bare minimum Texas jail standards. Hopefully, Bexar County will take seriously the TCJS’s latest inspection report.