Harris County commissioners have approved more than $2 million in new funding for additional studies of the county jail, marking at least the fourth outside review of the facility since 2020.
In a 3-1 vote, commissioners authorized a $1.2 million contract with CGL Management Group LLC to produce recommendations for the Harris County Jail by the end of 2027, according to the Houston Chronicle. Commissioners also approved roughly $1.2 million for the Jail and Community Safety Infrastructure Governance Advisory Committee to identify a vendor for a second study on potential facility expansion and community-based alternatives to detention.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey (R) cast the lone dissenting vote.
“I don’t think you need another study. I think we need to make a decision,” Ramsey said during the meeting. “What I would like instead of a study is a list of actions.”
The new spending comes as the Harris County Jail remains out of compliance with state standards and continues to face staffing and overcrowding challenges.
The jail has been out of compliance with minimum state standards since January 2025. The facility has consistently failed Texas Commission on Jail Standards inspections since 2022, including citations for missed inmate observations, fire safety failures, and inmates being held beyond state time limits.
In July, state inspectors documented an instance in which an inmate went more than five hours without a required face-to-face observation, exceeding the mandated 30-minute interval. Fire alarm control panels were also found in malfunction status during inspection.
In-custody deaths have also continued. Last year, the Harris County jail reached its 12th in-custody death of 2025 by August, following 10 deaths in 2024 and 19 in 2023. The county is currently facing multiple wrongful death lawsuits alleging abuse and medical negligence.
Overcrowding remains a major factor. Harris County has outsourced between 1,200 and 1,500 inmates annually to facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and other Texas counties at a cost of roughly $50 million per year. County officials have stated reducing outsourcing is a long-term goal.
Officials have pursued several reform efforts in recent years.
For instance, in May, the county invested $3 million in diversion programs through a newly created Mental Health and Diversions Bureau within the District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Sean Teare said about 80 percent of jail inmates reported some form of mental health crisis, and one-third are on psychotropic medications. Officials reported a roughly 9 percent decrease in the jail population earlier this year following diversion efforts.
The county has also commissioned multiple external studies. A 2020 review by the Justice Management Institute recommended dismissing certain older nonviolent felony cases and reorganizing court operations to address backlog issues. In 2022, commissioners approved nearly $1.5 million for consulting group PFM to evaluate non-punitive approaches to mental illness and homelessness. In 2023, commissioners approved $1.3 million for engineering firm AECOM to assess jail infrastructure. The Chronicle reported the results of that study have not been publicly released.
The latest studies are expected to examine detention rate reductions, master facility planning, and possible noncarceral alternatives. County officials said preliminary updates could be available within eight to nine months, with formal recommendations expected within 12 to 18 months.
