Texas County Progress

The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

Texas Commission on Jail Standards

TCJS August Meeting Recap

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The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Commission) held its quarterly meeting in Austin on Aug. 6. Following the public comment period, Executive Director Adan Munoz introduced Robert Green as the Commission's newest inspector and Mark Wilson as a new program specialist. Both of the positions were created this past legislative session, and both began employment Sept. 1. Green … [Read more...] about TCJS August Meeting Recap

TCJS Commission Regulates Texas County Jails

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The Texas Legislature created the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) in 1975 to implement a declared state policy that all county jail facilities conform to minimum standards of construction, maintenance and operation. The TCJS is a policy-making body comprised of nine members who are appointed by the Texas governor to staggered six-year terms expiring on Jan. 31 of … [Read more...] about TCJS Commission Regulates Texas County Jails

TCJS Conducts First-Ever Strategy Session

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The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) met Feb. 6, 2008, in Austin for its first strategic planning session in the Commission's 33-year history. This session was part of an ongoing effort to ensure that the Jail Commission is not only meeting its statutory responsibilities and fulfilling its mission, but also providing the best possible service to the citizens of the … [Read more...] about TCJS Conducts First-Ever Strategy Session

Jail Diversion Programs Target Offenders With Mental Illness

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Slowly but surely, the state of Texas is trying to turn a complicated, costly, and often heartbreaking saga into a coordinated, comprehensive service delivery system – and counties are right in the thick of it. Anywhere from 16 percent to 20 percent of offenders in the Texas criminal justice system have a mental health diagnosis, said Leon Evans, director of the Center for … [Read more...] about Jail Diversion Programs Target Offenders With Mental Illness

Texas Commission on Jail Standards Mental Health Study

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The 78th Legislature’s House Bill 1 directed the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) to conduct a study relating to mental health screening and treatment practices of inmates with mental illnesses. To accomplish this, the TCJS and the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments (TCOOMMI) identified a number of stakeholders to participate as … [Read more...] about Texas Commission on Jail Standards Mental Health Study