jails

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an opinion the Texas Commission on Jail Standards has the authority to hire an independent investigator to look into all custody deaths. The opinion is in response to a letter sent by Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells last year.

The diversion center would focus on low-level offenders who have untreated mental illness, intellectual or developmental disorders, or substance use disorders. The goal would be to ease jail overcrowding while saving taxpayers money and improving outcomes for those who avoid jail.

As a part of a yearlong study, Texas county jails are collecting data about pregnant inmates' prenatal care, mental health indicators, pregnancy outcomes and more.

Wyandotte County Deputy Richard Fatherley is free while he awaits trial in the July 5 death of Charles Adair, who prosecutors say was killed when Fatherly knelt on his back. Fatherley, who faced his first hearing Tuesday, wasn’t required to appear in court in person, which the judge said was standard early in the judicial process when substantive issues aren't heard.

The Kansas City Council moved forward with a plan to build a modular jail with about 100 beds. Officials say the temporary facility is necessary, as plans to build a permanent municipal jail will take years.

Long delays in a legal process meant to ensure fairness in court are leaving vulnerable people behind.

The oversight agency missed key inspections and left prisoner complaints unresolved.

A judge is fining the state for failing to treat mentally ill defendants stuck in county jails. With a court-ordered deadline approaching, public defenders and advocates say the system remains overwhelmed, underfunded and unresponsive.

A bill mandating yearly inspections and establishing minimum standards for Oklahoma's county detention centers was signed into state law by Gov. Kevin Stitt Monday.

Judge Robert Pitman says inmates who sued the state could win their case but that the fix is not easy or cheap.