Filing a Complaint with TCJS
Jails in Texas are subject to the rules set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. We’ve gotten complaints from family members of inmates having to sleep on the floor… Continue reading "Filing a Complaint with TCJS"
Category: Understanding the System
Good Questions from Our Readers
This post is under construction. We are scanning through all of the questions looking for the really good ones that aren’t answered in our posts or that are asked frequently. … Continue reading "Good Questions from Our Readers"
State Jail Inmate Locator
When a family is told that their loved one is going to be sent to the State Penitentiary they frequently think that means he is being sent to Huntsville. Actually… Continue reading "State Jail Inmate Locator"
Get Criminal Histories Online
District Clerk Donna Kay McKinney continues to make public records more accessible. Her latest effort has been to put criminal histories online. You can now view criminal histories as far… Continue reading "Get Criminal Histories Online"
Court Information Online
The District Clerk’s Office is going to be posting docket information online. If you are trying to get court information on an individual you can go to the online dockets… Continue reading "Court Information Online"
Privileges
Several of the things inmates are allowed to do are actually privileges. There is no requirement that they be allowed to do them. Privileges are a tool the jail uses… Continue reading "Privileges"
Electronic Monitoring & GPS
The Electronic Monitoring and GPS programs are part of pretrial services (the same area that handles PR bonds). These are court ordered programs. The judge decides the level of supervision… Continue reading "Electronic Monitoring & GPS"
Towed Vehicle
If you are looking for a vehicle that was towed by either Bexar County or San Antonio Police it helps to know which agency made the arrest since they would… Continue reading "Towed Vehicle"
Release From Jail
The Bexar County Jail releases inmates 24 hours a day. An individual can be processed as an in & out from the Magistrate’s Office (which basically means it is done… Continue reading "Release From Jail"
Holding Cells
When a person gets arrested he is kept in a holding cell. This is the same at the Jail and at the Magistrate’s Office. The inmate is brought out of… Continue reading "Holding Cells"
There’s a Warrant Out for Me. What Do I Do?
If the warrant has a bond amount the best thing to do is get your bond set up then turn yourself in. This will take a lot of stress off… Continue reading "There’s a Warrant Out for Me. What Do I Do?"
SID Number
A sid number is the unique identifying number that the jail assigns to an inmate. This number is used on ALL of his paperwork, booking paperwork, bonds, medical information, court… Continue reading "SID Number"
Open Records Request
You may run into a situation where a jail employee refuses to give you the information you requested. Don’t get angry at him, he’s probably just following policy. If you… Continue reading "Open Records Request"
Getting Warrant Information
We have been informed that the policy of not giving out warrant information has been changed under Sheriff Salazar. Warrant information is being given out again. We would like to extend our thanks to… Continue reading "Getting Warrant Information"
Don’t Do Dumb Things
Dealing with a government agency is never fun but remember this is a law enforcement agency. Some things you may be tempted to do can even be hazardous to your… Continue reading "Don’t Do Dumb Things"
What is the Inmate Trust Fund?
Inmates have one account where money is kept for them. The majority of the time that money is used for commissary needs so people tend to refer to the Inmate… Continue reading "What is the Inmate Trust Fund?"
What Do Those Letters Mean?
We know we are missing a lot of abbreviations and acronyms. We’re working hard to get answers but have been having some difficulties. The judicial side is not being very… Continue reading "What Do Those Letters Mean?"