The Dallas County Jail this week passed a comprehensive state inspection for the second time in a row, a shift from recent failures to meet minimum standards.
Officials with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards conducted its latest on-site visit Tuesday through Thursday to judge compliance in sanitation, health services, recreation, records, hygiene and other areas, according to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
The state is required by law to complete the comprehensive inspections every two years, while more limited reviews are conducted as needed.
Sheriff Marian Brown said her department is committed to being good stewards “and this inspection verifies that commitment.”
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“These inspections continue to represent our accountability to the community,” Brown said. “The passing results emphasize the hard work produced daily by the employees of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.”
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Earlier inspections identified compliance problems.
The jail passed its last comprehensive inspection in January 2024. But in July 2025, the jail failed a special off-site inspection of paperwork, prompted by complaints about two incarcerated people.
This narrow review found Dallas County noncompliant for keeping two men in holding cells for about two and a half days each — beyond the 48-hour maximum allowed.
Though not factored into the noncompliance finding, the commission noted the jail failed to provide one of the men with his prescribed medication on two mornings, according to the report.
The state also found the jail noncompliant in 2018, 2021 and twice in 2022, including for:
- Neglecting to conduct regular observations of suicidal people.
- Failing to provide personal hygiene items.
- Not supplying paper and pencils for people to write to attorneys.
- Filing observation logs that did not match video footage, among other violations.
On Thursday, the jail was at 93% capacity with 6,996 people inside, according to assistant director of jail population management Lashonda Jefferson.
Texas Commission on Jail Standards assistant directory Ricky Armstrong did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest inspection.
According to the sheriff’s office statement, Armstrong congratulated the department on having a clean inspection with no matters needing corrective action.
Jail inspections
- This week: State inspectors found the jail compliant after a three-day on-site review of core standards, including health care and sanitation.
- Last summer: A special paperwork inspection found the jail out of compliance after two men were kept in holding cells beyond the 48-hour limit.
- Earlier years: Regulators cited the jail for multiple violations in 2018, 2021 and 2022.