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County and City Jail Oversight
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) is mandated by the legislature
to oversee county jails. However, the level of independent
oversight in Texas is lacking. During 2005, 40
Texas counties were out of compliance with basic standards set by the commission. PJAP is monitoring the conditions of confinement in the state's county
jails by documenting the rates of abuse and the spread of
disease. Overcrowding in the state's county jails is incredibly
troubling because the majority of detainees will be released into the
free community in the near future. Furthermore, more than 30% of
the state's county and city jail detainee population are pretrial
and have not been convicted of a single crime.
From a public health perspective, exposure to diseases such as
Hepatitis C, Staph Infection, and HIV has implications for every Texan.
One of the biggest challenges
facing local jails is managing the health and behavioral concerns of detainees. Jail detainees are more likely than the
average citizen in San Antonio
to have health problems ranging from serious and chronic illnesses to acute and
temporary pain. Many of their health
problems are public health problems because they are communicable diseases such
as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis C.
PJAP conducted an analyis of the health indicators among detainees
in the Bexar County Jail and found that many are diagnosed with
tubercolosis and staph infection. Most detainees are released
after a short period of time and pose a serious health risk to the
public. 
Harris County
Over the last year, PJAP has taken a close look at the Harris
County Jail. As the largest county in the state, the policies
that contribute to who enters the Harris County Jail and how long
they stay have implications for criminal justice policies in other
counties and TDCJ.
Due to staffing shortages and a constant influx of inmates, the jail
has
been unable to provide beds for all of the incarcerated. PJAP has
documented that at least 1,900 prisoners were sleeping on the floors in
June 2005. TCJS has not certified the Harris County Jail system
for compliance with minimum standards since 2003. 
During 2005, there was a great deal of coverage of the Harris County jails.
FROM THE LIBERTY BLOG:
Health Crisis in the Bexar County Jail
"By Nicole D..."
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