HAYS COUNTY JAIL
Hays County Jail is full and has been outsourcing inmates to other jails for years. Due to the high population of incarcerated people, Hays County has been implementing various programs to attempt to divert people from the jail, such as the mental health court that was recently established and the pretrial services department. Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra has a standing agenda item during each commissioner court meeting in which he reads the current jail population, the amount of inmates outsourced and the cost.
Becerra said he initially began updating the public on jail capacity regularly to enhance the community's understanding of the financial aspects related to incarceration, which amounts to $167 daily per inmate. He said, in addition to that, it will reveal areas for improvement and opportunities for addressing jail overcrowding.
