The grand juries issued public reports but had no power of enforcement. Terry Julian, executive director of the Texas Jail Standards Commission, said he recommends the Texas system to every state. It can keep the federal courts from taking over your jails, and jails become safer. Julian said jail standards give local jail administrators a lever in keeping the jail high on budget priority lists. Improving on past plans Perry said he intends to push for prison and jail standards this legislative session, and he said he likes the system used in Texas for both jails and prisons.
Democrats are open but cautious.
We passed something along those lines and the governor vetoed it. Perry said Gov. Gary Johnson's veto was based on the view that the latest legislative attempt to set standards was too difficult to enforce and lacked any funding. But I think it is something that can be done. Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, said he thinks the reaction on prison standards would be positive in the Legislature, but he said county jails could present a legal problem because the state constitution gives county government authority over their jails. McSorley said the state needs to look at building up jail alternatives and community mental health programs directed at people who might otherwise wind up in jail.