By Sharon Guzman, Director of Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments (TCOOMI) Services – Bluebonnet Trails On May 30, 2007, a man pulled a butcher knife on a police officer at a convenience store in Georgetown, Texas. The incident was caught on video by the security camera outside the store. The video, provided by the district … [Read more...] about Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System
Jails
Communication Key to Successful Review of Texas Jail Standards
By Donna Klaeger, Burnet County Judge and TCJS Chairman The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Commission or TCJS) met in a workshop on Dec. 2, 2010, in Austin to review processes and procedures as the Commission embarks on a review of jail statutes and standards. Many sheriffs and jail personnel were in attendance, as well as county judges, commissioners, … [Read more...] about Communication Key to Successful Review of Texas Jail Standards
Texas Commission on Jail Standards
November Meeting Recap By Burnet County Judge Donna Klaeger, Texas Commission on Jail Standards At its Nov. 4 meeting, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Commission) reviewed several proposed changes to jail standards. The Commission approved the following proposals to be published in the Texas Register for … [Read more...] about Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Criminalizing the Mentally Ill
Pete Earley thought he knew a thing or two about mental health and criminal justice after working for a couple of decades as a journalist. But when his mentally ill son was arrested for breaking and entering, Earley discovered he still had much to learn. After struggling to find treatment for his son's bipolar disorder, Earley immersed himself in the … [Read more...] about Criminalizing the Mentally Ill
Bell County Justice Complex
In mid-May, North & East Texas conference attendees were invited to tour the Bell County Justice Complex, comprised of the Bell County Justice Center (Phases I & II), Bell County Jail, and Bell County Multi-Use Facility. Phase I of the 184,900-square-foot Justice Center, funded by $23.4 million in … [Read more...] about Bell County Justice Complex