How do I complain about a county jail?

You can make a complaint about a county jail. Here is how:

Contact the Commission on Jail Standards. Fastest way: fill out their online form .  You can also write them or call them, but they prefer the online complaint first.

  • When you fill out the online form of the Commission on Jail Standards, they ask for your inmate’s name and the name of the jail and then a short summary of the problem.
  • State the facts plainly; don’t exaggerate and don’t insult anyone. If possible, make a copy (copy and paste) before you send.
  • Hit the SUBMIT button at the bottom or your form will disappear!

If someone has been threatened with retaliation, please also tell that in your complaint. We have not heard of retribution against inmates for complaining to the Commission probably because once a complaint is reported, the jail knows that eyes are watching. But in a few cases, guards have made comments to inmates. Most everyone agrees that inmates should speak up and report abuse or neglect or unsafe conditions, however. (If you believe that giving your inmate’s name could be risky for her or him, please email me and we’ll talk about that: diana@texasjailproject.org)

Other Ways to Complain:

  • Ask people to help: call a friend or someone in the business community or a pastor, priest or any religious leader to speak to the sheriff or jail administrator. Family members should call too, but sheriffs usually pay more attention to someone from a church or somebody outside the family. Tell this friend to explain what the concern is.
  • Inmates can ask for a grievance form in the jail.  Some say that a grievance form does nothing, but grievances are a part of the legal record and they can help. If the jail staff doesn’t take it seriously or says they don’t have a form, an inmate can write a letter to the jail administrator/boss or to the sheriff and politeley ask for grievance forms; the inmate can remind them that grievance forms are required by law.
  • Try to make a copies. Make a copy of everything you send to the sheriff or Jail Commission officials—that is your paper trail–and when people say they never saw a complaint, you can always show your copy. If you cannot copy it, it’s still good to make notes: keep a list of all the complaints or grievances and what the date was.
  • How to write a letter of complaint to the sheriff: Be polite, keep it short and focus on the problems you see in the jail, like unhealthy conditions or bad treatment. Do not curse or give a life history. If you don’t think it will get to the sheriff, mail to a relative and have them hand deliver it to the sheriff’s office.
  • Get a lawyer’s advice: If you can afford it, find an attorney who is knowledgeable about the jail and is interested in helping you and the inmate. Always try to get a lawyer recommended by somebody you trust; don’t just go by the ones with the biggest ads or commercials. 

WARNING ABOUT YOUR LAWYER: Before hiring anyone, be aware that many lawyers will ONLY WORK ON THE LEGAL CASE OR CHARGES, and will not consider or help with problems at the jail, and some will not even go to the jail and speak in person to the inmate.

(It would help us to help others if you would email or mail us a copy of your complaint.)