When I was appointed six years ago by Gov. Greg Abbott to be the chairman of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (the Commission), I had no idea of the complexities of what this position involved. I knew as a County Judge that you did not want your county jail to be out of compliance with the Commission. I did not realize the challenges Texas counties faced to stay in … [Read more...] about Challenges To Our County Jails
Jails
The Continuing Mental Health Disgrace
For many years, the State of Texas has shamefully neglected its mentally ill citizens. The state allocates $45.23 annually per citizen for mental health services, ranking 46th among the states. Without access to services, the most severely impaired are forced into the criminal justice system for the protection of themselves and others. County jails are the largest mental health … [Read more...] about The Continuing Mental Health Disgrace
County Jail Telemental Health Care
Mental Health: The more services, the better. While mandates require us to provide mental health services, it is the right thing to do. The mental health population inside our jails is not going down anytime soon. It is something all jails and we administrators are experiencing. So my solution is, the more help and services I can provide these citizens, the better … [Read more...] about County Jail Telemental Health Care
TIDC Funds Public Defense Improvement
The Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) awarded more than $5 million in Improvement Grants to establish regional public defender offices serving nine counties, create specialized defender programs to help defendants with mental illness, and streamline attorney appointments. “This regional collaboration grant is a game-changer for our five Hill Country counties,” said … [Read more...] about TIDC Funds Public Defense Improvement
Jail Commission Update
Sandra Bland Deadlines, Paper-Ready Inmates
As we begin FY21, there are two items for county officials to be aware of. These two items are the last portions of the 85th Legislature’s Senate Bill 1849, commonly referred to as the Sandra Bland Act, and their effective dates. The first deals with how quickly a county must provide access to medical and mental health services. When first passed into law, the way the bill … [Read more...] about Jail Commission Update