One Of The Worst Jails In Texas Is Now Being Shut Down By The State

One of the necessary things a Texas county needs is a jail.  Texas is home to over 230 jails and each of those jails must meet certain jail standards.  Unfortunately, many jails are faced with non-compliance.

What is the Worst Jails for Non-Compliance with Jail Standards in Texas?

Liberty County Jail is one of the worst jails in Texas when it comes to non-compliance.  Their most recent inspection found that the jail is still non-compliant when meeting basic jail standards.

Read More: 10 Texas Jails Failing to Meet Minimum Jail Standards |

Liberty County Jail has been making headlines recently.  In February 2025, inmates tried to start a riot after sheriffs initiated a contraband search. This resulted in damage to two dorm areas.  Most recently a fire broke out at the jail on April 7th resulting in the injury of 5 officers.  The fire was attributed to a light fixture.

One of the many things that Liberty County Jail was not compliant with was fire safety. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards Non-Compliance Report showed that the jail had failed its fire inspection.

The current inspection performed by the local Fire Marshal listed deficiencies and was listed as a failed inspection.

Read More: Texas is Home to Two of the Worst Prisons in the U.S. |

Liberty County Jail in Texas is Being Ordered to Shutdown

According to ABC 13 in Houston, State officials are ordering the closure of the Liberty County Jail.  The order also gave Liberty County Jail 15 days starting April 11th to remove all inmates and transfer them to other facilities.

According to the Texas Jail Project, Liberty County Jail has been non-compliant for 623 days, following a report from August 2023.

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The jail might reopen in the future, but they will have to bring the entire building up to code and pass all inspections to safely house inmates.