Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under
Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, home
addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers of government employees
and officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must
review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may
be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act
(V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an
interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email
including enough description and detail about the information requested to
enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information
requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public
Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the
Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information
Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this
determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision.
Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially
excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or
removed and you can access the remainder of the records. This restriction
applies to the series
Materials housed in the State Archives do not circulate, but may be used in the State Archives search room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.
Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.).
None.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine that juveniles have been removed from the county jails; inspects county jails yearly to determine compliance with standards; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions (submitted by county sheriffs or county commissioners to the Commission). When the Commission determines minimum standards are not met in a jail, it informs the county sheriff and county commissioners and sets a time period (usually a year) to have the situation corrected. The sheriff or county commissioners can apply to the Commission for a variance in the standards. When county jails are found noncompliant and the problems are not corrected, the Commission has the authority to shut down a jail and require the transfer of prisoners to an acceptable detention facility.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards was created by House Bill 272, 64th Legislature, Regular Session, 1975. The Commission is composed of nine members, appointed to six-year overlapping terms by the Governor with concurrence of the Senate. Two members are to be county sheriffs, one must be a county judge, one a licensed medical practitioner, one a county commissioner, and four members are citizens not holding public office. The Governor designates the chairperson. An Executive Director, appointed by the Commission, serves as the administrative officer of the Commission.
Several duties have been added to the Commission. In 1991, the Texas Legislature added paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding (Senate Bill 1596, 72nd Legislature, Regular Session) to the responsibilities of the Commission. The counties are required to submit monthly reports listing the number and types of prisoners in the county jails. The Legislature, in 1993, directed the Commission to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program by providing consultation and technical assistance (Senate Bill 532, 73rd Legislature, Regular Session). Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
(Sources include:
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. Records of the Commission on Jail Standards consist of correspondence, meeting and hearing files, reports, planning documents, and speeches. Dates covered are 1975-2008, bulk 1975-1992. Topics include writing the standards for county jails, issuing and revising rules, jail construction, care and treatment of prisoners, jail overcrowding, juvenile offenders, payments for housing felons in county jails, training and technical assistance to local officials, county compliance issues, and the state jail program.
These records are organized into four series and three subseries by State Archives staff:
The terms listed here were used to catalog the records. The terms can be used to find similar or related records.
(Identify the item and cite the series), Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
These records were appraised by the State Archives staff as archival
on January 23, 1996 as part of an agency-wide appraisal of the Texas Commission
on Jail Standards records. For more information about the appraisal of the
Commission on Jail Standards records, see the appraisal report done by State
Archives staff on file in the search room of the Archives and Information
Services Division . It can also be found on the website of the Texas State
Library at
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, April 1997, October 1997
Hearing files and additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, October 1998
Additonal minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, October 1999
Additional minutes and correspondence added by Laura K. Saegert, November 2000
Corrections and further encoding to TARO project standards and additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, December 2001
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, October 2002
Finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by TARO using the conversion stylesheet v1to02.xsl, July 2003
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, September 2004
Additional minutes added and DACS compliance by Laura K. Saegert, October 2006
Additonal minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, September 2008
Accession numbers: 1990/021, 1996/023, 1996/031, 1996/111, 1996/117, 1997/012, 1997/092, 1998/011, 1999/002, 1999/004, 2000/010, 2000/120, 2000/145, 2001/022, 2002/028, 2003/028, 2004/013, 2004/162, 2005/010, 2006/003, 2007/049 and 2008/006
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Legislative Reference Library on March 19, 1987; and by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on October 25, 1989; October, 1995; December 5, 1995; May 24, June 26, and September 23, 1996; September 25, 1997; September 11 and September 20, 1998; September 15, 1999; February 28, April 28, and October 2, 2000; October 1, 2001; October 17, 2002; September 12, 2003; September 13, 2004; September 7, 2005; October 26, 2006; and September 7, 2007; and by the Texas Legislative Reference Library on June 8, 2004.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards mounts an electronic copy of
minutes from its most recent meeting on the agency web site (
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards maintains the record copy of the minutes.
Minutes and agenda are transferred to the State Archives shortly after each meeting. Meeting files are transferred every four to five years.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. This series consists of minutes and meeting files of the Texas Commission of Jail Standards, which usually include the agenda, minutes, the director's report, variance applications and decisions, reports and studies, and correspondence. Dates covered are 1976-2008. Files dating from 1976 to 1982 also include the meeting files of Commission subcommittees -- the Life Safety Subcommittee and the Variance Request Subcommittee. Actions taken at the meetings include deciding on variance applications, issuing or revising rules, discussing and taking appropriate action regarding jail inspections, jail construction, administrative hearings, budget concerns, training activities, the juvenile justice survey, mental health issues, and jail population. Correspondents primarily include the executive director, other staff, county sheriffs and other local officials, and the Attorney General's Office.
Files through 1997 include meeting files, files from 1998 to 2004 contain only minutes and agenda. Meeting files after January 1996 do not have minutes of the current meeting, only the previous meeting. Minutes and agenda for 1996 and 1997 are filed separately. Copies of the minutes and agenda are sent to the Archives within a few weeks after the meetings. Meeting files are transferred in multi-year batches, about every four to five years.
These records are arranged chronologically by the date of the meeting, as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Minutes and meeting files, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession numbers: 1990/021, 1996/023, 1996/031, 1997/012, 1997/092, 1998/011, 1999/002, 1999/004, 2000/010, 2000/145, 2001/022, 2002/028, 2003/028, 2004/013, 2004/162, 2005/010, 2006/003, 2007/049, 2008/006
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Legislative Reference Library on March 19, 1987; and by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on October 25, 1989; October, 1995; December 5, 1995; September 23, 1996; September 25, 1997; September 11 and September 20, 1998; September 15, 1999; April 28 and October 2, 2000; October 1, 2001; October 17, 2002; September 12, 2003; September 13, 2004; September 7, 2005; October 26, 2006; and September 7, 2007; and by the Texas Legislative Reference Library on June 8, 2004.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, April 1997, October 1997, October 1998, October 1999, November 2000
Corrections and further encoding to TARO project standards and additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, December 2001
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, October 2002
Finding aid converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by TARO using the conversion stylesheet v1to02.xsl, July 2003
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, September 2004
Additional minutes added and DACS compliance by DACS standards by Laura K. Saegert, October 2006
Additional minutes added by Laura K. Saegert, September 2008
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. This series consists of correspondence of the Commission on Jail Standards, generally between the executive director or other agency staff and state agencies, local officials, professional associations, and the general public. Other types of documents present include memorandums, minimum jail standards, drafts of proposed rules and standards, reports, newsletters and other publications, questionnaires, meeting agendas, conference programs, photographs of commission members, and training materials. Dates covered are 1975-1996, bulk 1984-1992. Topics covered include creating and changing standards for county jails, planning and remodeling county jails, care and treatment of prisoners, jail overcrowding, juvenile offenders, payments for housing felons in county jails, training and technical assistance to local officials, the state jail program, and the establishment of voluntary standards for municipal jails. One topic of particular interest in the late 1980s-1990s concerns the jail crowding problems present in the state prisons and county jails during this period. Because of overcrowding in the state prisons, counties were often required to house more prisoners than usual for a longer period of time, including state felons.
Issues relating to county compliance with jail standards are found in another series, Correspondence - County. This latter series is not archival. The files are retained by the Commission on Jail Standards for three years.
These records are organized into three subseries by State Archives staff:
(Identify the item and cite the subseries), Administrative correspondence, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession numbers: 1996/111, 2000/120
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on May 24, 1996 and February 28, 2000.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, home addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers of government employees and officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the records.
Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
Addtional correspondence added by Laura K. Saegert, November 2000
This series contains correspondence of the Commission on Jail Standards with state agencies, associations, county officials, other local officials, a few federal agencies, and the general public, dating 1976, 1983-1996. The folders titled "Memorandums" document transactions between the executive director and the commissioners or other staff, most concerning upcoming items for discussion at the commission meetings. Topics covered include creating and changing standards for county jails, planning and remodeling county jails, care and treatment of prisoners, jail overcrowding, juvenile offenders, payments for housing felons in county jails, training and technical assistance to local officials, and the state jail program. Beginning in 1993, only memorandums and multiple addressees sets of correspondence are present. Correspondence with county sheriffs, other local officials, the Attorney General, and others is also present in the meeting files, especially in the mid 1980s-mid 1990s.
These records are arranged by State Archives staff in three groups: miscellaneous administrative correspondence, 1976, 1983-1992; miscellaneous administrative correspondence, 1993-1996; and state agency correspondence, 1984-1992 (includes one federal agency). Within the first and last groups the files are in alphabetical order, then in reverse chronological order within the folders. Files in the second group are arranged chronologically by year, then in reverse chronological order within each year.
(Identify the item), Administrative correspondence, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/111
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on May 24, 1996.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
This series contains correspondence between the executive director of the Commission on Jail Standards and the commissioners, individual photographs of the commissioners, welcome letters, resumes, and resolutions. Some files contain reports on issues pertinent during the commissioners' service. Dates covered are 1976-1992. Photographs of the commissioners have been removed and transferred to the Prints and Photographs collection. Their new call number is noted in each folder. Files for the current commissioners are in the offices of the Commission on Jail Standards.
These records are arranged alphabetically, then in reverse chronological order, as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Commissioner's files, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/111
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on May 24, 1996.
Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under Public Information Act exceptions including, but not limited to, home addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers of government employees and officials (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 552.117), an archivist must review these records before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (V.T.C.A., Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals information that may be excepted by the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an open records decision from the Attorney General on whether the records can be released. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten working days after receiving a request to make this determination. The Attorney General has 45 working days to render a decision. Alternately, the Archives can inform you of the nature of the potentially excepted information and if you agree, that information can be redacted or removed and you can access the remainder of the records.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
These files contain standards from municipal jails in other states, the results of a survey of the existing conditions in Texas municipal jails, correspondence with local officials and legislators regarding the standards, technical assistance available to the officials, reports, and the standards developed for municipal jails by the Commission on Jail Standards. Dates covered are 1975, 1977-1985.
In 1983, the Legislature directed the Commission on Jail Standards to develop voluntary standards for municipal jails, House Concurrent Resolution 247, 68th Legislature, Regular Session. The Commission was to do a census of jails in municipalities, inspect them, and develop a set of standards for such jails and present them to the Legislature in 1985. A bill was presented to the Legislature to adopt the standards, but it was not approved. The Commission therefore does not have authority over municipal jail standards but does provide technical assistance where possible.
These records are arranged as received from the agency into two groups, municipal jail standards from other states, and municipal jails files. Materials within the folders are arranged in reverse chronological order.
(Identify the item), Municipal jails correspondence, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/111
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, May 24, 1996.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. This series consists of speeches given at various functions by Executive Director of the Texas Commission of Jail Standards, Jack Crump, dating 1992-1993. Topics covered include jails in Texas, jail capacities, and overcrowding.
These records are arranged chronologically by date of speech by State Archives staff.
(Identify the item), Speeches, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1996/117
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on June 26, 1996.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, November 1996
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. These are transcripts of public hearings held across the state in 1976 by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to solicit input on what should be involved in writing the standards for regulating Texas county jails. All records date to 1976. Comments were received from state officials, state agencies, county officials, law enforcement officials, and the general public. Also present are minutes from the hearings, some incoming letters to the Commission from officials and others offering comments on various aspects of jail operation and regulation, and attendance rosters listing people attending the hearings.
These records are arranged chronologically by the date of the hearing as received from the agency.
(Identify the item), Public hearing files, Texas Commission on Jail Standards records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
Accession number: 1999/004
These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by The Texas Commission on Jail Standards on September 20, 1998.
Processed by Laura K. Saegert, October 1998