Visitation problems at the Harris County Jail - Houston Texas

Grace1 · #1 06-01-2004, 03:42 PM

i made a trip down to see my friend on Friday. After taking the Toll Road, paying for parking and finally getting inside the jail a large group of angry people were being told that the floor my friend was on was not allowed visitors. His floor was closed for painting or something and they were all moved to the 7th floor. This isn't something they can do spur of the moment so why wasn't anyone notified? I tried calling to see if they were allowed visitors today but I can't actually talk to a person and none of the preset options cover this. Is this normal?

**MoMo** · #2 06-01-2004, 04:02 PM

with harris county yes its normal. when my husband was there i could never get a hold of a real person. most of the time i just got busy signals. i am glad i dont have to deal with the crowds there and so forth. i would give it another day before going through all of that again.

Nattyj83 · #3 11-17-2005, 04:59 AM

My boyfriend has been in Harris County for 1 month now and I have been turned away once (due to the escapee) and his friend was turned away due to "plumbing" problems. There are about ten numbers you can call. Only one will get you to a person. My suggestion...go to the Harris County Sheriffs Office website and go from there. They also don't let the inmates know, so they just sit there waiting for us. I also need to find out if I can inquire as to whether or not he has had a visitor on a particular day so I know that I wont be turned away when I get there. On the day that I got turned away...my car broke down on the freeway so I took a cab to the jail only to be turned away. I took the cab back to my car (on the side of the freeway) and ended up paying $50 for nothing.

txsfmhstn · #4 11-18-2005, 04:23 PM

This is a common problem at the Harris County Jails. I got fed up with how things went down there. I guess everyone should do what I did if the inmate has more than one visitor that wants to go. I would have them all call me before they went so no one would waste money on parking and be turned away. I made sure that it was fair to everyone that wanted to go. My son was there from 7-03 til 1-04 and we could never get anyone on the phone to tell us if they could have visits that day due to problems. I have waited for a couple of hours before only to be told that due to a fight they cut the visits off. Anytime anyone escapes don't expect them to have visits on that day. During the time my son was there they had a few inmates escape from 701 N. San Jacinto, only one made the news. We would be informed by other visitors about it. They would only cut the visits at the jail that the inmate escaped from. I don't kown if that has changed now or not. Good luck!

**e_wife03** · #5 11-18-2005, 04:30 PM

i just called 713 -755-8430 and someone answered it and its from harris county jail..

I did have a problems a few times when i couldnt get intouch with someone when my hsuband was there.. but most of the times i got someone.. and yes its normal for them to move them and not tell them they arent getting the visits..

Texasfem · #6 12-31-2005, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nattyj83

My boyfriend has been in Harris County for 1 month now and I have been turned away once (due to the escapee) and his friend was turned away due to "plumbing" problems. There are about ten numbers you can call. Only one will get you to a person. My suggestion...go to the Harris County Sheriffs Office website and go from there. They also don't let the inmates know, so they just sit there waiting for us. I also need to find out if I can inquire as to whether or not he has had a visitor on a particular day so I know that I wont be turned away when I get there. On the day that I got turned away...my car broke down on the freeway so I took a cab to the jail only to be turned away. I took the cab back to my car (on the side of the freeway) and ended up paying $50 for nothing.

I was denied those visits both those times you mentioned. Is your boyfriend still in Harris county? My son tells me to be nice to the guards and thats is so hard to do since they treat everyone that walks into the building as if we are the bad guys. I go alomost every day before he egts transfered. Happy New Year!

MonkeyBoi77 · #7 03-13-2006, 05:10 PM

Oh this is all so typical, floors being closed or pardon my umm speech the guards being a**holes!

I went to see my boo and on the 4th floor apparently they are rerouting how the girls walk to get to the visitors booth! Some Seargant doesnt want them walking past his desk, Sheesh!

dawna26 · #8 03-14-2006, 09:02 AM

It doesn't surprise me. The sargeants can be d*cks. And oh yeah, they can close any of the floors for any reason. They had to close the womens floor one day because an inmate tried to fight a guard to get a tampon. The guard was my mother in law and she was handing them out, but the inmate left the area and came back and demanded to get her tampon FIRST so she tried to grab them out of her hands and the inmate pushed her too. How stupid is that.......

MonkeyBoi77 · #9 03-14-2006, 01:27 PM

I heard all about that, thank god my boo wasn't at that floor, sheesh some peeps I tell ya have to ruin it for the ones who are in there trying to make good on things!

But come on, dont be such an asshole to the point where they don't wanna let them walk down the damn hall for a visit, my god, sounds like someone has an ego issue?

**MoMo** · #10 03-14-2006, 01:40 PM

I need to remind everyone of one of the policy's here at PTO. Please refrain from bashing police officers or CO's. Here is a copy of the policy

• Police/Guard/Correction Officer Bashing:
While we encourage full disclosure, investigation and the sharing of relevant information relating to abuses by Institutional staff (management, guards, jailers, CO’s,etc), blatant and unprovoked bashing of these people is not allowed. Please refrain from derogatory name calling as well. Further, it is a violation of PTO membership to go to any forum or site (ETC) where Correctional Officers are known to congregate and incite problems that may follow you back to the PTO website. If it is found that any member of PTO has gone to another website and created a problem, that then follows them back to our community, that member will be banned immediately.

MonkeyBoi77 · #11 03-14-2006, 02:12 PM

Sorry forgot, just making a comment on how they were acting is all!

MargaretE · #12 03-21-2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawna26

It doesn't surprise me. The sargeants can be d*cks. And oh yeah, they can close any of the floors for any reason. They had to close the womens floor one day because an inmate tried to fight a guard to get a tampon. The guard was my mother in law and she was handing them out, but the inmate left the area and came back and demanded to get her tampon FIRST so she tried to grab them out of her hands and the inmate pushed her too. How stupid is that.......

Do the ladies still have a problem getting basic necessites there at the jail? I thought they got suied over that and corrected the problem?

MargaretE · #13 03-21-2006, 10:43 AM

I would like to hear from those who know what's going on inside the jail in Harris County regarding the overcroding, lack of basic necessities, noise, and/or if they are keeping it clearner to cut down on the staph that was so bad in there. I know they got suied; does anyone have any updates regarding that or how it has improved that place? I really would like to know.

dawna26 · #14 03-21-2006, 11:13 AM

I know that they have a new jail, but I get them confused as to which one is which. I know that they are still overcrowded and I know that the food stinks. I believe that they get their necessities, but I cannot be 100% sure, especially on the mens floor. My mother-in-law works the womens floor. When my husband was in HC, he was in seclusion because of his mom, but he said that the other guys were VERY overcrowded.

I can also tell you that there are BIG changes coming to the staff of Harris County. There will be fewer Sheriffs Deputies working the pods and more 'jailers', which are paid less and don't have to answer to the Sheriff's dept. The jailers are also trained less. The current deputies are going by rank and they have the option of testing again and being a deputy in the jail (based on rank is who will get it) or you can pull down to be a jailer. If you opt to stay a deputy, you will NOT have the option to be put as a jailer later. Or, you can go be a street deputy and ride in a car....they have to retest for this too. I understand that they are doing this to get more cops on the street, but it really BITES for the deputies who have been there for 15 years like my mother-in-law, but still don't have enough rank to stay a deputy in the jail.

MonkeyBoi77 · #15 03-21-2006, 02:09 PM

I visit the jail on Baker St, it too is overcrowded, all the jails all overcrowded, my boo does get her basics thank god and some extra, the food is crap no wonder my boo eats candy LOL

About the staph infections, etc no clue I haven't ever heard any complaints except for the food and noise!