Main Menu

Bexar County Jail Population Increase

Bexar County Jail in San Antonio, Texas is fuller this year compared to this same time last year. That is due to the recent delay in prison transfers to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and an increase in bookings of inmates without bail.

Last October the jail reached a peak of about 4,000 inmates and was steadily declining but now the population is back up to around 3,800 inmates. The unexpected increased can be blamed on the ‘no bail’ and a lag in inmate transfer to the state jails. Two state facilities were closed back on August 31 and state officials are still working out the kinks in the system.

By law, officials have 45 days to pick up inmates sentenced to prison from county jails. For the 2013, the average pickup time is within 20 days. Back in October the average was 42 days. The time has gone down some since October, in April it was 23 days. The longer the inmates are housed in Bexar County Jail, the more it costs the county.

Sheriff Susan Pamerleau estimates the increase in inmate transfers has already cost Bexar County about $2 million in increased funds.






Comments are Closed