The Lew Sterrett Justice Center's time in Dallas may be up as the county's commissioners consider replacing it.
Adam Jones, Ph.D. / Creative Commons
Over the last couple of years, inspections have found incorrect documentation of suicidal inmates, dozens of inoperable doors and inmates smoking synthetic weed called"K2" at the county jail, also known as the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Inmates and staffers have also complained about the conditions inside the jail. Since 2020, inmates and staff have filed lawsuits against the jail over these conditions and over lax measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Next month, the Dallas County Commissioners Court will name members of a committee that will look into whether a new jail should be built. Once that committee is formed, it could take another year before it hands commissioners a recommendation., the jail is nearing capacity, with 88% of its beds in use as of mid-August. If the population ever reached capacity, the county may have to pay to house additional inmates elsewhere.
“What has changed?” Garcia said the committee asked itself about the jail. The answer is a lot. The intake process has changed, there are more people in the jail suffering from mental health issues and it’s harder to retain staff, Garcia said. “The current site is becoming obsolete,” she said.
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