Records Appraisal Report:
Commission on Jail Standards
Contents of this report
Agency Contact | Agency History | Project Review | Record Series Reviews
Internal links to series reviews
Meeting minutes and agenda
Correspondence - Administrative
Correspondence - County
News clips
Policy manual
Publication development files - Minimum jail standards
Reports, Administrative - Seminar training records
Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final - Juvenile Survey
Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-1
Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-2
Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Population reports from counties
Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Jail Population Report
Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties
Speeches
Legislative appropriations requests
Strategic plan
Annual report
Related report
1998 Addendum
Archival finding aid
Texas Commission on Jail Standards: An Inventory of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1975-2004 (bulk 1975-1992)
January 23, 1996, Laura K. Saegert, Appraisal Archivist
Agency Contact
This agency contact information was current at the time of the report but may have changed in the interim. Please call (512-463-5455) for current contact information of the agency's records manager or records liaison for these records.
Ms. Carmen V. Arce
300 W. 15 St., Suite 503
P.O. Box 12985
Austin, TX 78711-2985
Agency History and Structure
The Commission on Jail Standards was created by House Bill 272, 64th Legislature, Regular Session, 1975. The Commission is composed of nine members, appointed to six- year overlapping terms by the Governor with concurrence of the Senate. Two members are to be county sheriffs, one must be a county judge, one a licensed medical practitioner, one a county commissioner, and four members are citizens not holding public office. The Governor designates the chairperson. An Executive Director, appointed by the Commission, serves as the administrative officer of the Commission.
The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine that juveniles have been removed from the county jails; inspects county jails yearly to determine compliance standards; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions (submitted by county sheriffs or county commissioners). When the Commission determines minimum standards are not met in a jail, it informs the county sheriff and county commissioners and determines a time period (usually a year) to have the situation corrected. The sheriff or county commissioners can apply to the Commission for a variance in the standards, which, depending on the circumstances, the Commission may grant. However, when noncompliances in county jails are evident and not corrected, the Commission does have the authority to shut down a jail and require the transfer of prisoners to an acceptable detention facility.
Several duties have been added to the Commission in recent years. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature added the responsibility to the Commission of paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding. The counties are required to submit monthly reports listing the number and types of prisoners in the county jails. The 73rd Legislature, in 1993, directed the Commission to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program. The Commission provides consultation and technical assistance. Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
Staff of the Jail Standards Commission consist of approximately 18 employees and no formal divisions. Contract employees are also used for some duties.
Project review
I was assigned to review the records of this agency in October 1995. I have reviewed the agency history in the Guide to Texas State Agencies (1990, 6th ed. and 1993, 8th ed.); Vernon's Ann. Civ. St., Article 5115.1; 37 Texas Administrative Code, Part IX; several reports produced by the Jail Standards Commission--Annual report for FY 1994, Annual financial report for FY 1994, Request for Legislative Appropriations for FY 1994/95, and the Strategic plan for 1995-1999; and the Sunset Commission report on the agency, 1990. I have reviewed the destruction requests from the Jail Standards Commission, their records retention schedule, and the records of the Commission already housed in the State Archives.
On the current schedule of the Commission there are two series designated as archival ('A' code), and twelve series designated for archival review ('R' code). The archival series are Legislative appropriations requests and Meeting minutes and agenda. The archival review series are Correspondence - Administrative; Correspondence - County; News clips; Policy manual; Publication development files - Minimum jail standards; Reports, Administrative - Seminar training records; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Juvenile survey; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Pay-1; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Pay-2; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Population reports from counties; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties; and Speeches.
I discussed questions about the retention schedule with the records consultant assigned to the Jail Standards Commission, Mary Ann Albin. I prepared a list of questions concerning series on the retention schedule with Archival Codes of 'R' or 'A' and mailed these along with our letter of introduction to the Executive Director and the records administrator. On November 9, 1995, the records consultant, Mary Ann Albin, and myself met with the agency's records administrator, Carmen Velasquez Arce, and an associate, Luz Luzano, to ask questions about specific records series and answer questions about the appraisal process. I went over the questions I had prepared regarding the 'A' and 'R' series, and was able to gather much of the information I needed for preparing this report. During the meeting, it was discovered that most of the Reports, studies, & surveys series were miscoded as Reports, studies, & surveys, Final while they were in fact Reports, studies, & surveys, Raw data. This will be detailed in the project outcome section of the report.
There was one series of possible archival value which does not appear on the schedule--Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Jail population report. I gathered some information about this series and have prepared a series appraisal report for it. Additionally, I prepared an appraisal series report for two series already deemed as permanent--Annual report and Strategic plan, but which should be coded as archival on the retention schedule.
I made three follow-up calls after the initial meeting to get enough information to complete the appraisal report.
Archives Holdings
Minutes, August, 1978 - December, 1995. Minutes of the Commission, which usually include the agenda, minutes, the director's report, variance applications and decisions, and occasional correspondence.
Meeting files, 1976-1982. These are the meeting files of the Commission and its subcommittees, the Life Safety Subcommittee and the Variance Subcommittee. Types of materials include minutes, agenda, meeting transcripts, variance applications and decisions, reports, rules, and occasional correspondence.
County compliance correspondence, 1977-1980. This is correspondence and related records between the executive director of the Commission and the county sheriffs concerning the counties' compliance with jail standards. The Archives' appraisal of the records of this agency concludes that these records can be destroyed.
Previous destructions
A destruction request was submitted by the Commission in 1988 for the destruction of personnel and financial records, narrative financial reports, inventories, contracts, and grant requests and reports, dating 1976- 1984. This was approved.
In 1994, per verbal approval by the State archivist, county compliance correspondence, 1981-1990 and inspection reports, 1977-1991 were destroyed by the Commission.
Project outcome
The appraisal of the agency has been completed. A summary of actions for the agency to take is given for the series reviewed.
I am recommending we keep the following series on the schedule as archival: Meeting minutes and agenda.
Series 1117 Meeting minutes and agenda - Send copies of the minutes and agenda to the Archives, preferably on an annual basis, or else regularly after the board meetings.
Three other archival series have their archival requirement met by sending copies of publications to the Publications Clearinghouse. These series are Legislative appropriations requests, Annual report, and Strategic plan.
Series 1104 Legislative appropriations requests - Note in the Remarks section needs to be changed to read "Copy sent to Publications Clearinghouse".
Series 1132 Annual report - Note in the Remarks section needs to be changed to read "Copy sent to Publications Clearinghouse". Add an Archival Code of 'A' to the schedule.
Series 1155 Strategic plan - Note in the Remarks section needs to be changed to read "Copy sent to Publications Clearinghouse". Add an Archival Code of 'A' to the schedule.
Two of the archival review series have archival value. These are: Correspondence - Administrative, and Speeches. A series to be added to the schedule, Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Jail population report, also has been determined to have archival value.
Series 1107 Correspondence - Administrative - Revise the Archival Code from 'R' to 'A'. Transfer to the Archives records dating c. 1980-1992. Thereafter, transfer files yearly after the retention period has been met.
Series 1140 Speeches - Revise the Archival Code from 'R' to 'A'. Transfer to the Archives records dating 1992-1993. Thereafter, transfer files yearly after the retention period has been met. The Archives does not accept electronic records so transfer paper copies of the speeches instead of the computer disk.
No series number Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Jail population report - This series needs to be added to the schedule, with an Archival Code of 'A'. A retention period also needs to be set. Once that period is determined, transfer to the Archives the older reports. Thereafter, transfer files yearly after the retention period has been met.
The following 'R' series should be considered as non- archival and the 'R' code should be removed from the records retention schedule. These series are: Correspondence - County; News clips; Policy manual; Publication development files - Minimum jail standards; and Reports, Administrative - Seminar training records.
Several 'R' series were determined to be incorrectly coded on the retention schedule. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that these series should be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from these series. The new series number should be 1.1.037. Three of these series concern the payments to counties for housing state inmates, a function the Commission is no longer handling. These series are now obsolete and can be removed from the schedule. Should this function become necessary in the future, the series can be reinstated. These series are Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Pay-1; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Pay-2; Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties. The two series remaining on the schedule are Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Juvenile survey; and Reports, studies, & surveys, Final - Population reports from counties.
Organization charts are an archival series which were removed from the schedule in 1992 and placed in the Policy manual series. That series has been determined to be non-archival. The organization charts have been included in the strategic plans and recent annual financial reports. As long as the charts continue to appear in these publications, their archival mandate is met. If they do not continue to be included, a separate series will need to be re-established for them, with an Archival Code of 'A' and a retention of 'US'.
Minimum jail standards, a compilation of agency rules, regulations, policies, etc., is an agency publication which is currently included on the schedule under the heading Agency publications. Copies are sent to the Clearinghouse which fulfills the archival mandate. Because of the importance of this publication, we would like to see a separate listing for it, Agency publications - Minimum jail standards, with an Archival Code of 'A'. A note in the Remarks section should read "Archival mandate is fulfilled by sending copies of this publication and all updates to the Publications Clearinghouse." If, for some reason, copies are no longer sent to the Clearinghouse, we wish to have copies sent to the Archives for permanent retention.
Record Series Reviews
Record Series Review
Series Title: Meeting minutes and agenda
Dates: 1978-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency permanently in its offices. The present holdings of the agency are 1982-[ongoing], 4.5 cubic feet.
Archival holdings:
Minutes, September 1978 - December 1995
Minutes of the Commission, which usually include the agenda, minutes, the director's report, variance applications and decisions, and occasional correspondence.
Meeting files, 1976-1982
These are the meeting files of the Commission and its subcommittees, the Life Safety Subcommittee and the Variance Subcommittee. Types of materials include minutes, agenda, meeting transcripts, variance applications and decisions, reports, rules, and occasional correspondence.
Description: Minutes of the Commission, which usually include the agenda, minutes, the director's report, variance applications and decisions, and occasional correspondence. Dates covered are 1978-[ongoing]. Actions taken at the meeting include deciding on variances applications, issuing or revising rules, and discussing, and taking action when appropriate, several functions of the agency, including jail inspections, jail construction, administrative hearings, training activities, the juvenile justice survey, mental health issues, and jail population.
Purpose: The series documents the decisions of the Commission on Jail Standards formulated at their board meetings.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards was created by House Bill 272, 64th Legislature, Regular Session, 1975. The Commission is composed of nine members, appointed to six- year overlapping terms by the Governor with concurrence of the Senate. Two members are to be county sheriffs, one must be a county judge, one a licensed medical practitioner, one a county commissioner, and four members are citizens not holding public office. The Governor designates the chairperson. An Executive Director, appointed by the Commission, serves as the administrative officer of the Commission.
The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey; inspects county jails; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions.
In 1991 the Commission began paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding. In 1993 the Commission was directed to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program by providing consultation and technical assistance. Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 511.004, 511.006, 511.009
Arrangement: Chronological by date of meeting.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? Minutes prior to September, 1978 can be found in the Meeting files, 1976-1982 of the Commission, which are in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Meeting minutes and agenda
Series item number: 1.1.017
Agency item number: 1107
Archival Code: A
Retention: PM
Recommendation: Minutes of state commission meetings provide primary evidence of the functions and policy formulation of the highest echelon of the agency. The Commission on Jail Standards' retention schedule is correct and sufficient. Copies of the minutes and agenda can be sent to the Archives on an annual basis, or regularly after the board meetings.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Correspondence - Administrative
Dates: c. 1980-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: 1 cubic foot.
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for three years according to the schedule. However, the present holdings of the agency are c. 1980-[ongoing], 6 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This series consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence between the executive director or other agency staff and state agencies, other government oversight agencies, and the general public. Dates covered are c. 1980-[ongoing]. Topics covered include care and treatment of prisoners, juvenile offenders, payments for housing felons in county jails, training and technical assistance to local officials, and the state jail program. Issues relating to county compliance with jail standards are found in another series, Correspondence - County. This latter series is non-archival and only contains materials for three years.
Purpose: This series documents the agency's handling of its functions in establishing minimum standards for the operation of county jails, including the care and treatment of prisoners and training of local jail personnel. It also documents a recent program of the Commission, the payment to county jails for the housing of state felons.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey; inspects county jails; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions.
In 1991 the Commission began paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding. In 1993 the Commission was directed to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program by providing consultation and technical assistance. Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by agency or correspondent.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? Correspondence prior to c. 1980 is missing, most likely destroyed years ago.
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Correspondence - Administrative
Series item number: 1.1.007
Agency item number: 1107
Archival Code: R
Retention: 3
Recommendation: This correspondence documents the functions of the Jail Standards Commission with the exception of the county compliance issues, which are summarized in the annual reports. This is the highest level correspondence series in this agency and does not include general correspondence, for which a separate series exists. I recommend that this series be considered as archival and the Archival Code be changed from 'R' to 'A' in the retention schedule. The correspondence dating c. 1980-1992 can now be transferred to the State Archives as these records have fulfilled their retention requirements.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Correspondence - County
Dates: 1993-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: 4-5 cubic feet (average accumulation, some years may be heavier)
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for three years according to the schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1993-[ongoing], 34 cubic feet.
Archival holdings:
County compliance correspondence, 1977-1980
Correspondence and related records between the executive director of the Commission and the county sheriffs concerning the counties' compliance with jail standards. The Archives' appraisal of the records of this agency concludes that these records can be destroyed.
Description: Incoming and outgoing correspondence between the executive director or other agency staff and county sheriffs or other local officials concerning compliance of county jail with jail standards. Dates covered are 1993-[ongoing]. Topics discussed include remodeling jails or constructing new facilities to meet standards, inspections, violations of standards, and the issuing and granting of variances. For correspondence relating to other county jail issues, such as training of local jail personnel or the care and treatment of prisoners see the series Correspondence - Administrative, an archival series with records dating back to about 1980.
Purpose: These records document the Commission's handling of county compliance issues.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails. The Commission also reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; and inspects county jails yearly to determine compliance standards. When the Commission determines minimum standards are not met in a jail, it informs the county sheriff and County Commissioners and determines a time period (usually a year) to have the situation corrected. The sheriff or County Commissioners can apply to the Commission for a variance in the standards, which, depending on the circumstances, the Commission may grant. However, when noncompliances in county jails are evident and not corrected, the Commission does have the authority to shut down a jail and require the transfer of prisoners to an acceptable detention facility.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 511.009, 511.011, 511.012.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county. There are two folders for each county, one for the correspondence, one for the inspection reports.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: County compliance correspondence, 1981-1990, and inspection reports, 1977-1991, were destroyed by the agency per verbal approval of the State Archivist in 1994.
Publications based on records: Some of the compliance issues are summarized and presented in the Annual Report of the Commission on Jail Standards. This report lists the counties in compliance, the counties not in compliance, counties with jails under construction and those with jails under planning, and other compliance-related information.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Correspondence - County
Series item number: 1.1.007
Agency item number: 1107
Archival Code: R
Retention: 3
Recommendation: This correspondence documents the activities of the Commission on Jail Standards concerning county compliance issues. While ensuring the county's compliance with jail standards is a significant function of the Commission, the annual reports present a narrative and statistical summary of the counties in and out of compliance, enforcement actions taken, the number of jails under construction or in the planning stages, and the number of inspections conducted. Variance applications and decisions are discussed at the Commission meetings. In view of the fact that a summary of this information is available either in the annual reports or the Commission minutes, I recommend that this series be considered non-archival and the 'R' be removed from the retention schedule.
This series contains a folder of correspondence and one of inspection reports for each county. The records administrator has indicated that inspection reports will probably be made into a separate series. If so, a series of inspection reports based on this same criteria would be considered non-archival.
Record Series Review
Series Title: News clips
Dates: 1995-[ongoing] (latest three months)
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: None
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for two years according to the schedule. However, the agency keeps only the latest three months, averaging about 2 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This is a series of clippings about jail issues in counties relating to Commission on Jail Standards concerns. The clippings are kept for the latest three months. Topics covered include overcrowding in county jails, recent inspections, and elections.
Purpose: This series serves as a ready-reference file re: county jail issues.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None I
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: News clips
Series item number: 1.1.019
Agency item number: 1119
Archival Code: R
Retention: 2
Recommendation: These are ready reference files of clippings, used as a kind of tickler file re: current jail and jail-related issues reported in the counties. The clippings' functions are fulfilled with agency action. Agency actions are documented elsewhere. Clippings are normally not considered to have archival value, which holds true in this case. I recommend this series be considered as non-archival and the 'R' code be removed from the retention schedule. The retention period on the schedule is currently two years. This needs to be changed to reflect the actual retention of these files, which is currently three months. The records consultant can assist the records administrator in determining the correct retention period.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Policy manual
Dates: 1995-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation:
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until superseded. Latest revision of the manual is September 1995, fractional.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This is a personnel manual covering routine employee procedures, such as travel, leave, grievance procedures, etc. It also contains a copy of the organization chart of the agency. The latest revised edition is September 1995.
Purpose: The personnel manual documents the policies of the Commission in regards to employees and routine personnel issues.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission is directed by an Executive Director who oversees the personnel procedures for the agency.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.008.
Arrangement: Arranged topically in notebook format.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: A destruction request was submitted by the Commission in 1988 for the destruction of personnel and financial records, narrative financial reports, inventories, contracts, and grant requests and reports, dating 1976- 1984. This was approved.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Policy manual
Series item number: 1.1.025
Agency item number: 1125
Archival Code: R
Retention: US
Recommendation: This is a personnel manual concerning routine personnel matters. I recommend the series title be changed to Personnel manual and the series be placed in the personnel records section of the retention schedule. The Archival Code of 'R' needs to be removed from the retention schedule.
The manual does contain an organization chart, for which there is not a separate series on the schedule. However, the organization charts are also present in the strategic plans and the annual financial reports of the agency, both of which are permanent publications.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Publication development files - Minimum jail standards
Dates: 1994-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation:
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purpose served, according to the schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1994-[ongoing], fractional.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Copies of the publication based on the drafts are housed in the Publications Clearinghouse, Texas State Library. This is Minimum Jail Standards (initial manual plus updates).
Description: These are page proofs of an agency publication, Minimum Jail Standards--a publication containing the rules and regulations of the board. It is produced by the Commission on Jail Standards and deposited in the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library. Dates are 1994-[ongoing].
Purpose: Publication of Minimum Jail Standards makes available the rules and regulations of the agency to the public.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Topically.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Minimum Jail Standards, Texas Commission on Jail Standards.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Publication development files - minimum jail standards
Series item number: 1.1.028
Agency item number: 1128
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: This series consists of page proofs of an agency publication of rules and regulations. These proofs do not contain notes or other materials which could illustrate editorial changes. I recommend this series not be designated as archival as this publication and the updates are deposited in the Publications Clearinghouse. The Archival Code of 'R' on the retention schedule should be removed.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Administrative - Seminar training records
Dates: 1991-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for three years according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1991-[ongoing], 1.6 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: This series consists of training materials (outlines and agendas) used for training county jail personnel in a variety of areas, such as staff analysis, suicide prevention, inmates' rights and privileges, legal issues for jails, and objective jail classification. The materials are prepared by agency staff and also document who attended and the types of attendees at sessions. Dates of the materials are 1991-[ongoing].
Purpose: This series documents the training sessions given by agency staff as part of their mandated functions.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Chronological.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Training activities are summarized in the Annual Report of the Commission on Jail Standards.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Administrative - Seminar training records
Series item number: 1.1.031
Agency item number: 1131
Archival Code: R
Retention: 3
Recommendation: The training materials consist of outlines and agendas and do not offer much additional information about the training. The Annual Report of the Commission has a narrative summary and list of training activities which suffices for documenting the type of training undertaken by the Commission. I recommend this series be considered as non-archival and the 'R' be removed from the Archival Code on the retention schedule.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final - Juvenile Survey
Dates: 1990-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: less than 2 cubic feet
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purposed served, according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1990-[ongoing], 4 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
The Publications Clearinghouse has copies of the report resulting from this survey for the years 1990, 1992, 1995, Survey of Juvenile Detainees.
Description: These are surveys conducted to determine if juveniles have been removed from the adult population in the county jails. This survey is done annually by the agency through a contract with the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office. Information from the survey is reported by the Commission on Jail Standards and summarized in the reports of the Criminal Justice Division re: their enforcement of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act. Dates of the surveys are 1990- [ongoing].
Purpose: This is an annual survey done to determine if juveniles have been removed from the adult population in county jails.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine if juveniles have been removed from the county jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009 (12).
Arrangement: Chronological.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: The Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office summarizes this information in reports re: their enforcement of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Act.
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Survey of Juvenile Detainees (sometimes published, sometimes just a copy of the letter reporting the results is distributed).
The survey results are summarized in the Annual Report of the Commission on Jail Standards.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final Juvenile Survey
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number: 1138
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: According to the records administrator, this information is gathered for publication into the Annual Report by the Commission on Jail Standards. Reports from several years are present in the Publications Clearinghouse. The data is also available in reports of the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor's Office, and the survey results are summarized in the annual reports of the Commission on Jail Standards. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that this series should be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys-Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from this series. The new series number should be 1.1.037.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-1
Dates: 1991-1995
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? Yes, as of September 1, 1995. It could be reinstated if the agency begins paying counties again for housing state felons.
Replaced by: None
Ongoing record series? No
Annual accumulation:
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purpose served, according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1991-1995, 3.2 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are monthly statements sent in by county jail officials listing the number of state inmates ready to be transferred to the state prison. Dates covered are 1991-1995.
Because of the overcrowding at the state prisons, the Commission on Jail Standards was designated by the Legislature to pay county jails for housing state inmates. These reports were used by the Commission to determine the number of inmates they needed to reimburse the counties for housing. A companion report, Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-2, was also sent in by the counties listing the names of the inmates on the monthly statement. A related series is Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties.
Purpose: These reports were used to determine the number of state inmates the Commission needed to reimburse the counties for housing.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature added the responsibility to the Commission on Jail Standards of paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 499.123, 499.124.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-1
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number: 1138
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: These documents function as statements for reimbursement sent in by the counties. This series was miscoded on the schedule. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that this series, should it be continued, will be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from this series. The new series number should be 1.1.037.
If the function of paying counties for housing state inmates is not reinstated, this series does not need to be added to the schedule as it is now obsolete.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-2
Dates: 1991-1995
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? Yes, as of September 1, 1995. It could be reinstated if the agency begins paying counties again for housing state felons.
Replaced by: None
Ongoing record series? No
Annual accumulation:
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purpose served, according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1991-1995, 30 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are monthly statements sent in by county jail officials listing by name the inmates ready for transfer to the state prisons. Dates covered are 1991-1995.
Because of the overcrowding at the state prisons, the Commission on Jail Standards was designated by the Legislature to pay county jails for housing state inmates. These reports were used to determine which inmates (ready to be transferred to the state prison) the Commission needed to reimburse the county for housing. A companion report, Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-1, was also sent in monthly by the counties listing the number of inmates ready for transfer. A related series is Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties.
Purpose: These reports were used to determine which counties qualified for reimbursement by the Commission for housing inmates until they could be transferred to state prison.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature added the responsibility to the Commission on Jail Standards of paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 499.123, 499.124.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-2
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number: 1138
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: These documents function as statements for reimbursement sent in by the counties. This series was miscoded. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that this series, should it be continued, will be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from this series. The new series number should be 1.1.037.
If the function of paying counties for housing state inmates is not reinstated, this series does not need to be added to the schedule as it is now obsolete.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Population reports from counties
Dates: 1991-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: less than 1 cubic foot.
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purpose served, according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1991-[ongoing], 2 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are monthly statements sent in by the counties, which list the number of felons--pretrial, convicted, convicted to county time; the paper-ready (inmates ready to transfer to state prisons); parole violators; and misdemeanants. This information is summarized in a monthly report by the Commission on Jail Standards. Dates covered are 1991-[ongoing].
Purpose: These records document the types of inmates housed in the county jails.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The counties are required to submit monthly reports listing the number and types of prisoners in the county jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.0101.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: The Commission on Jail Standards compiles a monthly statistical report from the county submitted reports, Jail Population Report.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Population reports from counties
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number: 1138
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: These statements are compiled into a comprehensive report by the Jail Standards staff, Jail Population Report. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that this series should be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from this series. The new series number should be 1.1.037.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Jail Population Report
Dates: 1991-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: 1 cubic foot.
Agency holdings: The present holdings of the agency are 1991-[ongoing], 8 cubic feet. These records are housed at the offices of the Commission on Jail Standards.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are monthly statistical reports prepared by the Commission on Jail Standards which consolidate the monthly statements sent in by the counties giving a breakdown of the types of prisoners in the jails. Categories include the number of felons--pretrial, convicted, convicted to county time; the paper-ready (inmates ready to transfer to state prisons); parole violators; and misdemeanants. Dates covered are 1991- [ongoing]. An annual summary of this information is not done.
Purpose: These records document the types of inmates housed in the county jails.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The counties are required to submit monthly reports listing the number and types of prisoners in the county jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.0101.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? No
Suggested series from state Records Retention Schedule? Yes
Title: Reports, Administrative
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number:
Archival Code: A
Retention: PS
Recommendation: Although this is a monthly, rather than annual report, there is long-term value in the information it contains. This information, a breakdown of the types of prisoners in county jails, is not further consolidated, not even in the annual report. It documents statistically, by county, the nature of the jail population. An annual compilation would be preferrable, but, to my knowledge, that is not available. I recommend these reports be added to the retention schedule as an archival series, with the Archival Code of 'A'. If this information becomes available in an annual format, I recommend the decision to retain the monthly reports be re-evaluated in favor retaining the more comprehensive report.
A retention period needs to be set for these reports. Once that period is determined, the older reports can be transferred to the State Archives.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties
Dates: 1991-1995
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? Yes, as of September 1, 1995. It could be reinstated if the agency begins paying counties again for housing state felons.
Replaced by: None
Ongoing record series? No
Annual accumulation:
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices until purpose served, according to the retention schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1991-1995, 8 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are monthly statements from counties listing the number of inmates county jails were housing under state contract. This was a billing statement to let the Commission know how much to pay the counties for housing the inmates. Dates covered are 1991-1995. Related series are Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-1 and Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Pay-2.
Purpose: These statements document the number of state inmates the counties are housing under state contract.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature added the responsibility to the Commission on Jail Standards of paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Sections 499.123, 499.124.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Reports, Studies & Surveys, Final - Felony backlog from counties
Series item number: 1.1.038
Agency item number: 1138
Archival Code: R
Retention: PS
Recommendation: These are monthly billing statements to let the Commission on Jail Standards know how much to pay the counties for housing the inmates. This series was miscoded. Upon consultation with the records administrator and the records consultant, it was determined that this series, should it be continued, will be coded as Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data instead of Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Final. Reports, Studies, & Surveys, Raw data series do not carry an Archival Code, so the 'R' needs to be removed from this series. The new series number should be 1.1.037.
If the function of paying counties for housing state inmates is not reinstated, this series does not need to be added to the schedule as it is now obsolete.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Speeches
Dates: 1992-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for two years, according to the schedule. The present holdings are 1992-[ongoing], less than 1.6 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Description: These are speeches given at various functions by the Executive Director, Jack Crump, dating from January 1992- [ongoing]. Topics covered include general speeches on jails in Texas, jail capacities, and overcrowding. The speeches are currently kept on a computer disk, no hard copies are maintained.
Purpose: These speeches document the efforts of the Commission, through the Executive Director, in publicizing concerns in the county jails which affect the Commission on Jail Standards.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine that juveniles have been removed from the county jails; inspects county jails yearly; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions. In 1991, the 72nd Legislature added the responsibility to the Commission on Jail Standards of paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Chronological.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: Accessible only on computer disk at the agency.
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None prior to 1992.
Problems: Accessible only on computer disk at the agency.
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Speeches
Series item number: 1.1.040
Agency item number: 1140
Archival Code: R
Retention: 2
Recommendation: These speeches document the efforts of the Commission, through the Executive Director, in publicizing concerns in the county jails which affect the Commission on Jail Standards. I recommend these speeches be considered as archival, and the Archival Code on the schedule changed to 'A'. The Archives currently does not accept electronic records. Paper copies of the speeches need to be transferred to the Archives instead of the disk. Speeches prior to 1994 can now be transferred to the Archives as the retention period for those records has been met.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Legislative appropriations requests
Dates: 1977-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices for six years after completion of the record. Actual holdings of the agency are 1992-[ongoing], .25 cubic feet.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Archival requirement for this series is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publication Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse holds 1977-[ongoing]. Two copies of Requests for Legislative Appropriations must be sent to the Publications Clearinghouse (13 Texas Administrative Code, Section 3.3 (c)).
Description: These records are legislative appropriation requests of the Commission on Jail Standards submitted to the Legislative Budget Board and others. The records date from 1977-[ongoing]. The requests generally contain narrative statements of agency functions or programs. Program objectives are listed, along with a description of each objective, discussions of performance measures, statistics, program need indicators, and expenses-- expended, current, and projected, at different funding levels.
Purpose: The purpose of these records is to request specific appropriations from the legislature and to provide justification for the amounts requested.
Agency Program: Biennial budget requests are a mandatory requirement of the state budgetary process. The Commission on Jail Standards was created by House Bill 272, Regular Session, 64th Legislature, 1975. The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails, including privately operated county and municipal jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: Legislative Budget Board, Legislative Budget Estimates have been published since fiscal years 1954 and 1955. This publication, a compilation of data for all state agencies, summarizes the fiscal information found in agency-submitted budgets or appropriation requests, but omits most of the narrative.
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Legislative appropriations request
Series item number: 1.1.004
Agency item number: 1104
Archival Code: A
Retention: AC+6
Recommendation: Biennial budget requests prepared by state agency boards and/or commissions provide evidence of an agency's fiscal performance and needs. The Commission on Jail Standards' retention schedule is correct and sufficient. The archival requirement for these records is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publications Clearinghouse of the Texas State Library.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Strategic plan
Dates: 1992, 1995
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices permanently. The agency holds copies of both plans, 1992 and 1995, fractional.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Archival requirement for this series is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publication Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse holds both plans, 1992 (covering 1992- 1998) and 1995 (covering 1995-1999.)
Description: Strategic plans are long-range planning tools prepared by the agency in which the goals and objectives of the agency are presented along with performance measures for each. Plans contain a mission statement, a statement of philosophy, and external/internal assessment of the agency, and the goals of the agency. Each goal contains objectives, strategies, and output measures for measuring and achieving the goals. Also present is an organization chart of the agency. The Commission on Jail Standards has prepared two plans, in 1992 and 1995, with the planning time frames 1992-1998 and 1995-1999 respectively.
Purpose: These plans are long-range planning tools prepared by the agency which set forth goals and objectives of the agency over a multi-year period.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine that juveniles have been removed from the county jails; inspects county jails yearly to determine compliance standards; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions.
In 1991 the Commission began paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding. In 1993 the Commission was directed to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program by providing consultation and technical assistance. Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.009.
Arrangement: Chronological
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? None
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Stragetic plan
Series item number: 1.1.055
Agency item number: 1155
Archival Code:
Retention: PM
Recommendation: The strategic plans document the long-range planning activities of the board and are already considered archival. Their archival mandate is fulfilled by the agency sending copies of the reports to the Publications Clearinghouse. The state recommended retention schedule will be revised to carry an Archival Code of 'A' for this series. We prefer the series carry an Archival Code of 'A'.
Record Series Review
Series Title: Annual report
Dates: 1978-[ongoing]
Agency: Texas Commission on Jail Standards
Obsolete record series? No
Ongoing record series? Yes
Annual accumulation: fractional
Agency holdings: Retained by the agency in its offices permanently according to the schedule. The present holdings of the agency are 1978-[ongoing], fractional.
Archival holdings: None in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library.
Archival requirement for this series is fulfilled by sending copies to the Publication Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse holds 1979-[ongoing]. Fifty-five copies of annual or biennial reports (includes narrative description) must be sent to the Publications Clearinghouse (13 Texas Administrative Code, Section 3.3 (1) (A)).
Description: These are annual reports prepared by the Commission which summarize the activities of the agency for the fiscal year. Dates covered are 1978-[ongoing]. The report describes the functions of the Commission and activities undertaken during the fiscal year, including the categories of jail standards, monitor and enforce (jail inspection and enforcement, juvenile justice survey), technical assistance (jail construction planning, jail management consultation), and felony backlog relief. Statistical and narrative information is provided for a number of tasks, including jail inspections, assistance to counties, requests for inmate assistance, construction plan reviews, requests for variance, enforcement proceedings, counties in compliance, jails closed, construction of jails, changes in capacity and population, training, and payments to counties. Detailed information regarding the appropriations and expenditures of the agency can be found in the Annual Financial Report of the Commission.
Purpose: These reports provide summary documentation of the activities of the board over the fiscal year.
Agency Program: The Commission on Jail Standards sets rules and procedures establishing minimum standards for the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails; for the custody, care, and treatment of prisoners; for the number of jail supervisory personnel; and for programs and services to meet the needs of prisoners. The Commission also provides consultation and technical assistance to local officials; reviews and comments on plans for construction and major modification or renovation of jails; performs an annual juvenile justice survey to determine that juveniles have been removed from the county jails; inspects county jails yearly to determine compliance standards; and reviews and comments on annual reports of county jails on jail conditions.
In 1991 the Commission began paying counties that hold convicted state felons due to state prison overcrowding. In 1993 the Commission was directed to assist the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with the newly formed State Jail Program by providing consultation and technical assistance. Also in 1993, the Commission began working with the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairment and the Texas Commission Law Enforcement Standards and Education to develop rules and procedures for the care of the mentally ill, physically disabled, terminally or seriously ill, or elderly inmates. In 1994, the Commission was directed to develop rules and procedures for tuberculosis screening in jails.
V.T.C.A., Government Code, Section 511.015.
Arrangement: Chronologically, by fiscal year.
Access Constraints: None
Use Constraints: None
Indexes or finding aids required for/or an aid to access? No
Gaps? Publications Clearinghouse is missing the years 1976- 1978. The agency is missing the years 1976-1977.
Problems: None
Known related records in other agencies: None
Previous destructions: Destruction requests on file in the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library were checked for the Commission on Jail Standards and none were found for this series or for equivalent or related series.
Publications based on records: None
Scheduled record series? Yes
Title: Annual report
Series item number: 1.1.032
Agency item number: 1132
Archival Code:
Retention: PM
Recommendation: These reports summarize the activities of the agency over each fiscal year and are already considered archival. Their archival mandate is fulfilled by the agency sending copies of the reports to the Publications Clearinghouse. The state recommended retention schedule will be revised to carry an Archival Code of 'A' for this series. We prefer the series carry an Archival Code of 'A'.