Category: Jail Inspections

The Gray County jail, in Pampa, Texas, recently failed an inspection conducted by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”). As a result, the Gray County jail will be listed as being non-compliant.

All Gray County jail staff did not receive required training during the fourth quarter of 2019 and the second and third quarters of 2020. Further, restraint chair logs indicated that staff exceeded the required fifteen-minute observation checks by several minutes on multiple occasions. Jail staff were also not allowing at least 24 hours to pass after serving inmates with a claimed violation or charge. The TCJS inspector noted that technical assistance was given for this last issue in a prior 2020 annual inspection.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards “TCJS” conducted an inspection of the Cherokee County jail, in Rusk, Texas, on October 15, 2020. As a result of the TCJS inspection, the Cherokee County jail is now listed as being non-compliant.

TCJS inspectors noted that the Cherokee County jail failed to comply with five minimum standards. First, assessments for a female inmate, who was housed in administrative separation, exceeded the 30-day required reassessment by one-to-six days. Further, the initial assessment for a male inmate was not completed.

Moreover, custody reassessments were not being conducted by jail staff. Jail staff consistently exceeded the 30-90 day required reassessment timeframe by one-to-five days.

There were also numerous facility maintenance issues. The jail also failed to show that inmates were allowed at least one hour of supervised recreation at least three days per week. Hopefully, the Cherokee County jail will bring itself into compliance with TCJS standards.

Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”), as a result of a January 9-10, 2020 inspection, found the Grayson County jail to be non-compliant with State standards.  The TCJS inspector noted that Grayson County jail staff were not distributing medications as ordered by a physician.  The TCJS inspector also found, while reviewing documentation, that medical staff were at times signing medication distribution sheets before even distributing medications, and at times not documenting the distribution of medication.

Finally, the TCJS inspector noted, while reviewing the medical file for Inmate Morrison, that jail staff did not perform and document a magistrate notification as required by Texas law.  Such a notification is very important when an inmate is suicidal and/or has other self-harm tendencies.

The Fannin County, Texas jail was found to be non-compliant by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (“TCJS”) as a result of an inspection occurring January 8-9, 2020.  The jail was apparently being run by LaSalle corrections.

The TCJS determined that the Fannin County jail violated Section 273.4(b) of regulations governing Texas jails.  Specifically, that regulation requires that the jail keep separate health records for each inmate which reflect all subsequent findings, diagnosis, treatment, disposition, special housing or assignments, medical isolation, distribution of medications, and the names of any institutions to which the inmate’s health record has been released.  The TCJS inspector determined that medical staff were not properly documenting the dispensing of prescription medications. 

The TCJS inspector also noted that preventative maintenance had not occurred in the jail.  Hopefully, Fannin County jail will promptly correct these issues and thereby remove itself from the non-compliant Texas jail list.