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The role of the Kaufman County Detention Facility, through its sheriff's office, is to receive and house all lawfully committed offenders within the jurisdiction of Kaufman County, as mandated by the criminal and civil laws of the State of Texas, until they are released from confinement. In doing so, the sheriff's office is committed to: providing for the safety and protection of the public, the staff, and the inmates; maximizing cost efficiency in the use of the public resources provided for its operation; and promoting an expeditious and effective justice system in and for Kaufman County, Texas.
It is the primary function of the facility to hold, on a pre-sentenced status, persons who in the judgment of the court present a danger to themselves or the community, or who would not bind their return for further hearings or trial. The facility is also intended to hold sentenced misdemeanor inmates for a period not to exceed one year.
The sheriff's office consistently strives to maintain the quality of its personnel through training, education, and development of leadership skills. Recognizing that during the course of their careers employees will spend more time in the facility than will any incarcerated individual, the facility was designed to offer a safe, secure, and normative working environment for the staff. These conditions promote positive morale, increase motivation, and minimize staff turnover.
In recognition of the need for the community's support, the facility was designed to respect the character of the community.
The Texas Commission on Jail Standards requires all jails to implement and provide programs for inmate education and religious services. The Commission also points out that such programs should be commensurate with the quantity and types of educational and religious programs and services that are available to the citizens of the community in which a detention facility is located. Space and resources have been allocated in this facility for provision of such programs and services.
The operational philosophy of the detention facility provides inmates with opportunities for self-improvement and release of tension. These include educational, visitation and work programs, recreational activities, and religious services. Access to special programs also serves as a management tool, as participation is contingent upon acceptable inmate behavior.
Provision of a secure environment is reliant upon maintaining control of the inmates and their surroundings at all times. Accordingly, the following security measures have been incorporated into both the physical and operational aspects of the facility: physical barriers, electronic monitoring and detection, visual surveillance, separation of inmate classifications, and emergency response systems.
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