Bexar County's jail population has grown to such an extent that urgent proposals and makeshift solutions are now the order of the day for the Sheriff's Office. According to FOX San Antonio, the jail, designed for fewer than 4500 individuals, now houses just under 4900. Overshooting its capacity this summer, Sheriff officials are seeking partnerships to manage this influx, eyeing inmate transfers to Kerr and Burnet counties. However, with the Bexar County Commissioners yet to give a green light due to funding uncertainties, the strained infrastructure of justice remains taut with tensions.
During a recent Commissioner's Court, it was revealed by Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai that severe overcrowding had prompted de facto measures to alleviate it, yet, the Commissioners weren't fully apprised. According to a report by KSAT, the Sheriff's Office had begun transferring inmates without the full knowledge of the Commissioners. "I did not know the jail was already shipping out these inmates to these counties," said Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody, indicating a gap in communication.
The financial implications of the proposed inmate transfers have caused the Bexar County Commissioners to pause. With over $3 million required for transfers to Burnet County and $700,000 to Kerr County, detailed financial breakdowns are yet to be provided. "The main issue is the fact that there was not a financial, physical note that was attached to this agenda item... I wasn't prepared to commit taxpayer dollars to these inmates that apparently are ready," Judge Sakai told FOX San Antonio. The issue prompted further dialogue on possible transfers to state facilities coordinated with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
As a stopgap, BCSO has moved 150 inmates to other counties and has paperwork ready for another 148, stated BCSO Chief Deputy James Serrato in an interview obtained by KSAT. “So at that point, the sheriff exercised his prerogative to reach out and say, ‘Look, can somebody take these, because we’ll be out of compliance,’” Serrato said. However, with Burnet County charging $80 a day per inmate and Kerr County $65, Judge Sakai wants answers on the cost discrepancy, while also suggesting a funding re-evaluation after 90 days instead of a full year.
Finally, amidst this crisis, underlying issues are being considered, such as the impact of a new booking system that’s purported to have created bottlenecks. Yet, as Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez put it, “I don’t think we can singularly blame this on technology migration. Those numbers were ticking up for some time, so I think there’s more here than that.”
