Texas’ overcrowded jails transfer pretrial inmates out-of-state

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Two Saturdays a month, Sorcha Costigan drives 100 miles from Sabine County to Louisiana to visit her husband, Jess Hampton, who is being held at Louisiana Workforce, a private prison in DeQuincy, Louisiana.

Hampton adamantly claims he’s innocent, but he can’t afford the $250,000 bond to secure his release before his case is resolved. The distance between where he’s incarcerated and where his criminal proceedings are playing out has made it difficult to connect with his lawyers.

Every day across Texas, counties struggle to properly house inmates, leading to increased outsourcing and transport costs, burdening families like Hampton and Costigan.

The number of Texas inmates housed outside their county of arrest is rising, as counties face staffing challenges, exacerbated by new laws and mental health issues.

Significant Staffing Challenges

The Harris County Jail faces overcrowding due to staffing shortages, driving up costs and violating state standards.

Similar staffing challenges are faced by counties across Texas, leading to increased costs of housing inmates.

Current and Future Costs to Counties

County jails, like Trinity County, face financial burdens due to outsourcing inmates and incurring transportation costs.

Disagreements persist on solutions to reduce jail populations and costs, while advocates push for mental health support and alternative incarceration methods.