Commissioners concerned as Dallas County jail nears full capacity

DALLAS - The Dallas County jail is getting close to full capacity.

This week, county commissioners discussed the problem, putting some of the blame on a backlog of cases.

County commissioners say the jail is 90% full in large part to a slow process by judges. But leaders also admit there are other factors involved. 

In commissioners court, Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price is sounding the alarm about the jail on the brink of overcrowding. 

"This is one of the highest population midnight counts I’ve seen," he said.

Capacity for men and women is at more than 8,100. Currently, the jail is nearly 90% full. 

Price is casting most of the blame on the judges handling felony charges. County documents show about 1,000 felony cases have not been filed. 

"Our misdemeanor judges, no problem. It’s on the felony side of the aisle. My civil judges, no problem," Price said. "We lead all of the counties. It is the felony judges giving us the most challenge with their production or lack thereof."

Documents shared in the commissioners court Tuesday showed each judge with hundreds of offenders waiting in jail. 

The county says a person accused of a felony is waiting nearly a month just for the charge to be filed with the Dallas County district attorney's office. But the process doesn't stop there.

The case then has to be presented to the grand jury, which could take months. 

It’s important to note that judges have dealt with a backlog due to impacts from the pandemic. There are other factors contributing to the high number of inmates in the jail. 

Records show the state has hundreds of inmates who have yet to be transported to a state prison. County data shows there also has been an increase in people detained by ICE.

On top of all of that, lawmakers created a law that is also slowing the process. Senate Bill 6 limits when a judge can issue bail in the first days of a suspect being arrested. The process is also slowed if the offender has another active felony case. 

"If I had the 400 out from the state, if I had the other 400 mental health out, if I had the ICE out, then I could manage my population," Price said.

The Dallas County DA says, by law, it has 90 days to charge someone. But if not charged or indicted after 90 days, the inmate must have bond significantly reduced or be released.

"It is the collaboration of all of the storms at once. We are the ones in the clutch in regard to this matter," Price said.