Hays County has a prisoner problem, and it’s looking to its neighbor to the north, Travis County, for help. Hays is in the process of expanding its jail to house more inmates. In the meantime, it’s asked to send some of those it can’t accommodate to Travis County, which has some extra space due to […]
Travis County jail
The county detention facility, located in Travis County.
Posted inPublic Safety
County weighs its jail diversion strategies
A lot has happened since the Commissioners Court last saw the Travis County Justice Planning Department’s asset map of strategies for jail diversion on July 31. Fortunately, in terms of keeping people out of jail and connected to their communities, most of it is good news. Justice Planning updated the court on these strategies Tuesday […]
Posted inTravis County
County officials launch inmate tablet pilot
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office will launch a pilot program in 2018 that will put tablet computers in the hands of inmates at the county correctional complex in Del Valle. On Tuesday, deputies briefed the Commissioners Court on the progress of the development of the program, which they believe will make the jail safer without […]
Posted inPublic Safety
African-Americans spend more time in Travis County jail for same offenses as whites
Travis County has a long way to go before its criminal justice system matches its progressive reputation, according to a report released Thursday by a local advocacy group. African-Americans booked into the county jail spend more time behind bars than whites charged with the same crime, said the analysis by Grassroots Leadership, a community organizing […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis Commissioners ponder drunk-tank proposal
The Travis County Commissioners Court took another tentative step toward establishing a sobriety center in partnership with the City of Austin at its regular voting session. Perhaps better known colloquially as a drunk tank, the proposed sobriety center would serve as an alternative to Travis County Jail or local emergency rooms as destinations for people detained […]
Posted inLocal Government, Public Safety, Travis County
Judge-elect Eckhardt takes aim at jail video system
Incoming Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt says one of the many items on her “to-do” list when she takes office in January is to take on the county jail’s policy of limiting almost all family visits with inmates to a video conferencing system. Eckhardt says she would like to restore face-to-face visits. Eckhardt, elected last […]