by KIM HILSENBECK
The Hays Free Press made a surprise visit recently to the Hays County Jail, run by the Hays County Sheriff’s Office. Following a tour of the facility, we sat down with two female inmates for an inside look at what the conditions are like for them.
Jessica*
Jessica, 27, has been at the Hays County jail for nearly three months. This San Antonio native is awaiting trial on a felony drug charge, but hoping her lawyer can get her out on probation.
“I’ve never been convicted of a felony,” she said.
But she has had her share of trouble with the law.
On this day, her dirty blond locks have an almost reddish hue. Her hair is sleeked back and appears wet. Jessica is wearing her county-issued gray uniform. In orange block letters on the back it says Hays County Jail.
She also had on county-issued shoes, orange, that looked like Crocs but less expensive. Does she like them?
“They’re fine,” Jessica said, looking down at her feet.
She joked that the letters matched the shoes.
“They keep us trendy,” she said with a slight smile.
Yet she quickly turned serious.
“I don’t like jail,” she said.
And no, it’s not her first time.
But, compared to other jails she’s been in, “The conditions are like Disneyland here.”
On a scale from 1 to 10, Jessica gave the Hays County jail a 10. In comparison, for example, at the Bexar County Jail, Jessica said the food is terrible, inmates have no privacy and the guards are terrible.
“They treat us like people,” she said, referring to the guards who watch her now. A few feet away was Ericka Hernandez, a deputy in the female side of the jail.
Jessica said her mom, who lives in San Antonio, would rather drive the 45 minutes to Hays County to visit than to go to the Bexar County facility. She said her mother told her, “They treat me like crap.”
In contrast, Jessica said, “Living conditions here are great. There are even murals on the walls. It’s very clean. We clean every night.”
Jessica is what’s known as a jail trustee – inmates who are allowed to perform certain jobs around the facility.
“We choose to work and clean,” she said.
Hernandez explained that inmates may be eligible to become trustees under some conditions.
First, they have to be classified as either a minimum or medium-security level prisoner. Next, they must be medically cleared and have no physical problems. If they clear those two hurdles, Hernandez said behavior is then considered; following the rules is key.
The jobs trustees can perform include cleaning, kitchen work and grounds maintenance.
“I like it [being a trustee]. It helps my time go faster,” Jessica said.
She expects to be in the Hays jail at least two more months while her case gets resolved. What will she do after she is either released on probation or when she is done serving time if convicted?
“Not do drugs anymore,” Jessica said. “I was doing so many drugs for so long.”
She has three children, ages 6, 7 and 8, who live with their father in San Antonio.
“They’re amazing,” Jessica said with a smile.
But they don’t know where she is and she prefers it that way, at least for now. So they don’t visit?
“I wouldn’t want them to be here,” she said.
And while her children think she is working out of town, Jessica said, “I’ll be honest with them eventually.”
Rose
Rose Davidson, 44, is serving time in the Hays County Jail on charges of DWI. She said there was no accident or injuries – she was just pulled over. She has been in the jail nine months waiting for her court procedures to be completed.
Rose is from Austin but was caught in Hays County. As with Jessica, it’s not her first rodeo.
Will it be her last?
“Most definitely,” she said.
She is soft-spoken and has a pleasant smile. Her dark hair is streaked with gray. The lines on her face appear to make her look more mature than her 44 years.
Rose talked about how the Hays County Jail compares to other facilities, including Caldwell County and Travis County.
“Actually it’s like the Hilton compared to the other jails I’ve been to,” she said. “This is probably the best jail I’ve been in.”
Rose is also a trustee, tasked with cleaning.
“We keep our area clean all the time,” she said.
How about the staff – how is she treated here?
With no hesitation, Rose said, “The staff is great; you give respect you get respect. I always respect the guards and they respect you.”
And while Hernandez was sitting just feet away, Rose did not appear to be holding back or tempering her answers.
In comparison, she said, “In Travis County, they yell at you, they cuss at you.”
Davidson said at Hays, the food is better. Even the cleaning tools are better.
“We get Pine Sol here and you don’t get that at Caldwell or Travis,” she said. “It makes it smell more homier inside the dorm.”
Are the rules hard to follow here?
“I just have to try to make it the best I can. A lot of girls make it hard on themselves; as long as you give [the guards] respect you’re going to get respect,” she said.
Rose is among 27 other females currently being housed at the Hays County Jail, many who are younger than she is. There is a bit of a maternal feeling she gets from being 44.
“A lot of them don’t have a mom in their lives; I try to give them the best advice I can,” she said.
She paused.
“But who am I to give them advice? I’m here with them, too,” she said.
* Last name withheld
Conditions at the Hays County Jail have not always been good
- An April 2009 inspection of the facility found many health and safety violations, including a leaky roof, rusted walls and doors, and mold in the kitchen, which was closed as a result.
- In November of that same year, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards came close to shutting down the entire jail following another failed inspection. The county spent $1.7 million on repairs and a study on whether the whole facility needs to be abandoned.
- An inspection in 2010 found standing water in pipe chases (small hallways behind the cells); the inspector said he “could smell the water” but decided not to write up the facility because he knew the administration was working to make improvements.
- In April 2011, the jail passed inspection with no demerits. However, it spent $2 million for emergency air conditioner repairs.
- September 2012, the Hays County Jail passed its inspection and was found in compliance with the state standards.