The Texas County Jail and Texas County Sheriff’s Department will be the next occupants of the Texas County Justice Center.
With the completion of some work in the building and the installation of communications equipment, both will move to the structure early this year. The department is linked to a statewide Missouri State Highway Patrol communications network, and workers with that division are expected to assist in the transition to the new location.
For Texas County Sheriff Carl Watson and his deputies, a new state-of-the-art jail will bring much relief in housing prisoners. The county’s current jail only was constructed to accommodate 24. This one – which is divided in various housing pods according to the risk assigned to an inmate – will accommodate 72. The jail is situated on the west end of the justice center. Because of overcrowding, many times prisoners had to be farmed out to other counties, which proved expensive. On other occasions, inmates are released to make way for others who lawmen feel need to be incarcerated.
For a look inside the jail operation, watch the video on the Herald’s Web site: http://houstonherald.com/articles/2008/11/27/video/7.txt