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Category: Non-Compliant Jails|Texas Commission on Jail Standards

Parmer County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

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Parmer County Jail is among the non-compliant jails currently listed on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website. In a December 19, 2023, notice of noncompliance, Parmer County Jail was advised of the results of a jail inspection conducted on December 18, 2023. The Farwell, Texas, jail has been cited for the alleged violation of one minimum jail standard. The address of Parmer County Jail is 300 4th St, Farwell, TX 79325. The jail has a 49-bed capacity.

Parmer County Jail is Cited for Non-Compliance with Rule §271.1- Objective Classification Plan

271.1 (a)(1)(A)(B)- Objective Classification Plan is in the chapter on the Classification and Separation of Inmates. Objective Classification Plan – Each sheriff/operator shall develop and implement an objective classification plan. The following principles and procedures shall be addressed: Inmates shall be classified and housed in the least restrictive housing available without jeopardizing staff, inmates, or the public, utilizing risk factors that include any or all of the following: 

-Current offense or conviction.

-Offense history.

  • Per the TCJS inspector’s report, during the review of classification files, it was determined that 5 of 42 inmates were misclassified during the initial classification. Reasons included listing assaultive felonies that were in fact misdemeanors and listing misdemeanor charges that were in fact felonies. Staff were advised to immediately correct the classifications. These errors do not appear to have resulted in any inappropriate housing of inmates. Staff were advised to conduct training with all staff members who conduct the classification of inmates.

 

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smchugh

San Augustine County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

San Augustine County Jail is among the non-compliant jails currently listed on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website. In a December 12, 2023, notice of noncompliance, San Augustine County Jail was advised of the results of a jail inspection conducted on December 7, 2023. The San Augustine, Texas, jail has been cited for the alleged violation of one minimum jail standard. The address of San Augustine County Jail is 219 North Harrison Street San Augustine, TX 75972. The jail can house up to 34 detainees.

Rule §273.5 (a)(2) – Identification

San Augustine County Jail has been cited for allegedly failing to comply with Rule §273.5 (a)(2) – Identification, which is in the chapter on Health Services and the section on Mental Disabilities/Suicide Prevention Plan. (2) Identification. Procedures for intake screening to identify inmates who are known to be or observed to be mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal and procedures for compliance with Code of Criminal Procedure Article 16.22 and referrals to available mental health officials.

  • A review of 13 inmate medical files revealed that staff failed to notify the magistrate within 12 hours on 3 occasions when warranted by affirmative answers on the Screening Form for Suicide and Medical / Mental / Developmental Impairments and positive returns on CCQ checks.

The rules applying to suicide prevention should always be given strict attention because, according to numerous statistics, suicide is the number one cause of custodial deaths in local jails. Research reveals that detainees are at risk for suicide due to many of the parameters that uniquely exist in the jail setting.

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smchugh

Newton County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

Inside The Old Idaho State Penitentiary

Newton County Jail is among the non-compliant jails currently listed on the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) website. In a December 4, 2023, notice of noncompliance, Newton County Jail was advised of the results of a jail inspection conducted on November 29, 2023. The Newton, Texas, jail has been cited for the alleged violation of two minimum jail standards. The address of Newton County Jail is 110 Court St, Newton, TX 75966. The jail has a 14-bed capacity.

Newton County Jail is Cited for Non-Compliance 

Rule §259.138 (a)- Holding Cells

Newton has allegedly been noncompliant with Rule §259.138 (a)- Holding Cells, which is in the chapter on New Construction rules. The rule states that one or more holding cells shall be provided to hold inmates pending intake, processing, release, or other reason for temporary holding. Inmates shall not be held for more than 48 hours and the cell shall include the following features. The TCJS inspector made the following note about noncompliance:

  • During the inspection, 6 inmates were found to be housed in holding cells from 4 days up to 20 days.

The furnishings inside holding cells do not include places to sleep. There is also less space per detainee than in holding cells as compared with cells where detainees are housed.

Rule §275.1- Regular Observation by Jailers

Rule §275.1- Regular Observation by Jailers is in the chapter on the Supervision of Inmates. The rule requires that every facility shall have the appropriate number of jailers at the facility 24 hours each day. Facilities shall have an established procedure for documented, face-to-face observation of all inmates by jailers no less than once every 60 minutes. Observation shall be performed at least every 30 minutes in areas where inmates known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, mentally ill, or who have demonstrated bizarre behavior are confined. There shall be a two-way voice communication capability between inmates and jailers, licensed peace officers, bailiffs, and designated staff at all times. Closed circuit television may be used, but not in lieu of the required personal observation. Electronic sensors or cameras capable of recording the required personal observations of inmates in high-risk cells or groups of cells shall be installed no later than August 31, 2020.

  • The TCJS inspector noted that due to the current intercom system not working properly, two-way voice communication cannot be achieved. 

The required two-way voice communication is intended to serve as a security system and an alert system. Inmates are monitored with these systems, and they provide a way for detainees to request help.

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smchugh

A Nueces County Detainee Found in an Altered Mental State Dies-3

3d interior Jail

Nueces County Jail detainee Richard Gonzalez was seen by medical personnel at about 9:30 a.m. on October 27, 2023. They were summoned to his cell after he was found in an altered mental state and unclothed in his cell. Mr. Gonzalez was unable to walk on his own. Officers assisted him out of the cell and onto a wheelchair. He was taken to medical to be assessed. Once he was at medical, Dr. Caro determined that Mr. Gonzalez needed to be transported to the hospital for further evaluation.

Nueces County Jail is Cited for Noncompliance with Rule §259.138(a)

Inspectors with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) made the following notes in the jail inspection reports issued to Nueces County Jail in 2022, 2021, and 2017, respectively. All were about the violation of Rule §259.138(a)-Holding Cells, in which detainees were held for longer than 48 hours.

In the jail inspection report dated March 30-31, 2017, TCJS Inspector Phillip Bosquez indicated the following:

  • During the review of facility rosters for intake cells, it was observed that inmates are routinely being held past the 48-hour time limit defined in minimum jail standards. The inspector reviewed samples from several months of documentation, and the deficiency was consistently found. The overages ranged from 1 to 4 days over the 48-hour limit.

Learn more in Part 1 and Part 2 of this ongoing series.

Helping Texas jail detainees and their families with resources is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention of intimating that individuals or entities have been involved in wrongs.

–Guest Contributor

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smchugh

A 25-Year-Old Dies in Cameron County Jail on 10/21/23

The Cameron County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Garza, filed a custodial death report about Jacqueline Barosio on November 1, 2023. Ms. Barosio was booked into Cameron County Jail in Olmito, Texas, on June 1, 2023. She died of unknown causes at the jail on October 21, 2023. An autopsy was performed, and her cause of death is pending autopsy and toxicology reports. Few details are provided in the summary of how the death occurred. Ms. Barosio was only 25 years of age when she died in Cameron County Jail.

Causes of Death of Detainees in Cameron County Jail Continued

After 39-year-old Johnny Gutierrez died of suicide in Cameron County Jail in January 2023, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards followed up on the custodial suicide with a jail inspection. It appears that an October 2023 inspection makes a reference to the death of Mr. Gutierrez as it cites Cameron County Jail for failing to comply with a rule that is a key component of any suicide prevention plan.

Rule §273.5(a)(1)- Training, which is in the chapter on Health Services, is the rule Cameron County Jail allegedly failed to comply with. Suicides are prevalent in local jails in Texas and the entire U.S. The jail environment places detainees at risk for suicide, as statistics prove. Suicide is the leading cause of death in county and municipal jails. It is incumbent upon each jail system to address the problem by establishing and complying with a suicide prevention plan.

Learn more in Part 1 and this ongoing series.

Providing helpful resources for Texas detainees in county and city jails is one purpose of this website. Suggesting that any persons or entities have engaged in misdeeds is never intended on this site.

–Guest Contributor

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smchugh

A Midland County Detainee Dies After Denying Food for 10 Days-Pt.2

Silhouette of barbed wires and watchtower of prison.

The Midland County Sheriff’s Office filed a custodial death report (CDR) pertaining to 29-year-old John Michael Soza on October 19, 2023. Jail records showed that Mr. Soza refused food for about 10 days, beginning approximately on September 17th. After being transferred to Midland Memorial Hospital on September 25, he was pronounced deceased while still in the care of the hospital on October 15, 2023.

A Detainee at Midland County Jail Commits Suicide

A tragedy occurred at Midland County Jail in Midland, Texas, in May 2019. Thirty-six-year-old Christopher Beau Duboise used a shirt to hang himself in a detox cell. This occurred despite suicide prevention guidelines set out by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS).

Mr. Duboise was arrested by the Midland County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to Midland County Jail at 9:00 p.m. on May 23. During intake, as a result of the detainee’s answers to suicide screening questions, he was assigned to DETOX-D in the holding area. Face-to-face observation checks are required in holding cells and detox cells every 30 minutes or less.

According to the CDR prepared about the death of Mr. Duboise, he was checked on at 9:55 p.m. The officer asked if he needed water. The next check was at 10:12 p.m., and the officer discovered that Mr. Duboise was hanging by his neck from the handicap bar at the back of the cell.

See Part 1 and this continuing series.

Providing help to municipal and county detainees in Texas is one of the purposes of this website. There is no intention on this site to accuse any person or institution of unlawful activity.

–Guest Contributor

author avatar
smchugh

Mills County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

Inside The Old Idaho State Penitentiary

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) currently lists Mills County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was sent to Mills County on October 11, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a special jail inspection report issued on October 9, 2023. TCJS inspectors allege that the Goldthwaite, Texas, jail violated 1 minimum jail standard.

The address of Mills County Jail is 2111 Priddy Rd, Goldthwaite, TX 76844. The jail has a 715-bed capacity. Details on the alleged noncompliance follow.

Rule §273.5(a)(1)- Training

Mills County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §273.5(a)(1)- Training, which is in the chapter on Health Services, as follows: (a) Each sheriff/operator shall develop and implement a mental disabilities/suicide prevention plan, in coordination with available medical and mental health officials, approved by the Commission by March 31, 1997. The plan shall address the following principles and procedures: (1) Training. Provisions for staff training (including frequency and duration) on the procedures for recognition, supervision, documentation, and handling of inmates who are mentally disabled and/or potentially suicidal. Supplemental training should be provided to those staff members responsible for intake screening.

  • During a review of training documents, it was discovered that only 1 out of 12 jailers had completed the suicide prevention training for the annual requirement as stated in their operational plans.

Detainees in Mills County Jail may not have had the benefit of effective suicide prevention measures during the time of the alleged lack of suicide prevention training among the correctional staff.

 

author avatar
smchugh

Midland County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) has recently listed Midland County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on October 11, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a jail inspection report issued on October 9-10, 2023. TCJS inspectors allege that the Midland, Texas, jail violated 1 minimum jail standard.

The address of Midland County Jail is 400 S Main St, Midland, TX 79701. The jail has a housing capacity of 500 inmates. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.

Rule §285.1-Physical Exercise

Midland County Jail has been cited for violating Rule §285.1-Physical Exercise, which is in the chapter on Recreation and Exercise. Each facility shall have and implement a written plan, approved by the Commission, for inmate physical exercise and physical recreation. Documentation of physical exercise and physical recreation shall be maintained for Commission review. Each inmate shall be allowed one hour of supervised physical exercise or physical recreation at least three days per week.

  • Staff could not provide logs indicating 3 days of recreation or physical activity per week was offered, as required.

Midland County Jail received another notice of non-compliance on April 3, 2023, regarding a jail inspection report issued on March 28, 2023. The jail was cited for failing to provide 15 jailers with training for emergency situations. One other violation was regarding restraints. Allegedly, Midland County Jail placed inmates in a restraint chair on 38 occasions where no 15-minute face-to-face observations were documented.

author avatar
smchugh

Denton County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

3d interior Jail

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) currently lists Denton County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website. A Notice of Non-Compliance was issued on August 28, 2023. It specifies the minimum jail standard the jail was cited for in a jail inspection report also issued on August 28, 2023. TCJS inspectors allege that the Denton, Texas, jail violated 1 minimum jail standard.

The address of Denton County Jail is 127 N Woodrow Ln # 300, Denton, TX 76205. The jail has a 1,400-bed capacity. Details on alleged noncompliance follow.

Rule §275.1-Regular Observations by Jailers

Denton County Jail was found to be non-compliant with the following rule in the chapter on the supervision of detainees. Rule §275.1-Regular Observations by Jailers states that every facility shall have the appropriate number of jailers at the facility 24 hours each day. Facilities shall have an established procedure for documented, face-to-face observation of all inmates by jailers no less than once every 60 minutes. Observation shall be performed at least every 30 minutes in areas where inmates known to be assaultive, potentially suicidal, mentally ill, or who have demonstrated bizarre behavior are confined.

  • A review of documentation and video received after a custodial death revealed that while jailers made observation rounds, the jailers did not view the inmate face-to-face as required by minimum jail standards.

Following an inspection conducted from March 8 through 10, 2022, Denton County Jail was cited for 5 violations of minimum jail standards. The rule listed above was also an area of noncompliance last year. Typically, actions to be completed on rule violations are due upon receipt of the latest notice.

author avatar
smchugh

Brazos County, Texas Jail Fails State Inspection

DM Jail Corridor
Inside The Old Idaho State Penitentiary

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) now lists Brazos County Jail in Texas as a Non-Compliant Jail on the TCJS website because of a failed jail inspection. The jail inspection report with details on the alleged noncompliance is dated November 16, 2022.

TCJS Inspector Wendy Wisneski conducted the jail inspection, which cites Brazos County Jail for one alleged violation of minimum jail standards. The address of Brazos County Jail is 1835 Sandy Point Rd, Bryan, TX 77807.

TCJS cited Brazos County Jail for non-compliance with § 275.1- Regular Observation by Jailers. This rule is under the chapter on the supervision of inmates. Each jail facility must have the appropriate number of jailers on site 24 hours daily. Face-to-face observations must be performed in intervals not to exceed once every 60 minutes. In areas where at-risk inmates are held, however, the face-to-face observations must take place every 30 minutes at most. At-risk inmates include those who are mentally ill, assaultive, or possibly suicidal or who have exhibited bizarre behavior.

  • An internal review conducted by Brazos County plus self-admission revealed that observation rounds had not been conducted for more than five (5) hours when a serious incident occurred on October 8, 2022.

Guidelines for the observations of prisoners are essential jail standards because inmates are endangered when there is a lack of proper supervision. Studies show that inmates are far more vulnerable to potential harm when members of the jail staff fail to conduct required observation rounds.

author avatar
smchugh
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