High capacity, but no overcrowding in Dallas County Jail, sheriff says
DALLAS COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) - You have likely heard by now growing concerns over jail population numbers in Dallas County.
On Wednesday, the person responsible for overseeing the jail is speaking out and there is one term the sheriff of this county, and manager of the jail, does not like.
She was emphatic against any talk of the jail being overcrowded.
"I just want people to understand we are not overcrowded," said sheriff Marian Brown. "I don't want people to feel the jail is about bulge at the seams."
Brown dismissed, yet declared population problems inside the Dallas County Jail on Wednesday.
With a count of 6,600 detainees currently inside a facility capable of housing just over 7,000, the jail sits at near capacity levels.
The county's district attorney, along with commissioner John Price were summoned before a Dallas city public safety committee Monday to answer concerns about the jail's population increase.
Brown said Wednesday that a summer hike in arrests coupled with computer system clogs slowing the move of detainees to state prison or other transition programs have pushed jail capacity to 98% on some days.
"There is no reason for people to be concerned that we are going randomly releasing people that don't need to be released into the community," said Brown. "That is absolutely not going to happen."
But, Brown emphasized there may be a move of detainees to other locations. She is not, nor could she, initiate a large-scale release of accused felons back onto Dallas County streets.
"I say to people, we may be close to the line, but we are not at the line, and we haven't gone over the line," Brown said. "There is no overcrowding in the Dallas County Jail."
In 2007, this jail housed 10,000 people. It was so overcrowded the justice department took over operations for four years.
Brown said they are nowhere near those numbers.
