Breckenridge Texan

The Stephens County Jails has suspended all inmate visitations, with the exception of criminal defense attorney visits,  as a preventative measure against the coronavirus disease. Stephens County Sheriff Will Holt said he took the action after receiving a memo from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards asking them to suspend all jail visitations.

For clarification, Holt spoke with the executive director of the commission who told him that their goal is to keep the virus out of the jails so they recommended ceasing all visitations except for criminal defense attorneys.

“With that in mind, we are temporarily suspending all visitations, so that includes jail ministry and regular visitation to inmates,” Holt said.

Normal visitation hours at the Stephens County Jail are Tuesdays during the day and on Thursdays in the afternoons and evenings on Thursday, depending on each inmate’s situation.

He said the visitations will remain suspended until the governor or the commission lifts the visitation suspension.

“We apologize to the community for any inconvenience of not being able to visit the inmates, but this is a directive handed down from the State, and it’s a temporary suspension so as to help protect the health of the inmates as well as to slow down or stop the spread of COVID-19,” the sheriff said.

Story by Tony Pilkington / Breckenridge Texan