Bexar County has turned jail crowding into a standing expense. The county is routinely sending “paper-ready” inmates to nearby facilities and paying other counties to hold them — leaving thousands inside the Bexar County jail while hundreds are housed elsewhere, and the tab is already in the millions.
The 45-day rule — and the fight over the clock
Under state law, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has up to 45 days to pick up convicted, “paper-ready” inmates after transfer paperwork is finalized. Counties say that window can leave them holding people for weeks. As reported by KERA, officials disagree on when the 45-day clock starts, fueling disputes between sheriffs and the state over who covers housing costs.
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