Advocacy And Community Groups Will Unveil the “Care Not Cages” Plan July 28 Following Heighten Concern After Alarming In-Custody Deaths
Three Texas advocacy organizations are calling on Bexar County leaders to adopt a sweeping jail reform plan focused on preventing deaths, expanding medical and mental health services and holding public agencies accountable rather than constructing more detention beds.
All of Us or None Texas, ACT 4 SA and the Texas Jail Project will release the Bexar County Continuum of Care, Safety, Accountability, Population Management and Family Rights Framework during a press conference Tuesday, July 28, on the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse.
The community-developed proposal, described by organizers as a “Care Not Cages” framework, comes as Bexar County continues to face scrutiny over deaths, overcrowding, medical treatment and conditions inside the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
According to Texas Jail Project data cited by the organizations, 91 people died in Bexar County jail custody between 2020 and June 17, 2026. Many were awaiting trial and had not been convicted of a crime.
The death toll and the millions of dollars spent transferring inmates to other counties were previously detailed in the San Antonio Observer’s reporting of the Bexar County jail crisis.
Jail Reform Discussion Delayed Until Aug. 4
Bexar County commissioners were initially scheduled to discuss jail reforms during their July 7 meeting, but the item was abruptly postponed until Aug. 4. The delay pushed back a major public discussion on medical treatment, staffing shortages, overcrowding, diversion programs and the cost of housing inmates outside Bexar County.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Grant Moody criticized the postponement and accused county leaders of playing political games while conditions at the jail remained unresolved.
County Judge Peter Sakai defended the delay, saying commissioners needed additional information before making decisions.
“This majority decision was about making sure we get it right,” Sakai said in a statement. “The criminal justice system is complicated with many stakeholders.”
Related: Bexar County Jail: What to Know About Deaths, Transfer Costs, Safety Concerns and Reform Delays Ahead of August 4th Meeting
The July 28 press conference will take place one week before the rescheduled Commissioners Court workshop, placing additional public pressure on county leaders to act.
Framework Rejects More Jail Beds
The framework does not recommend building another jail, expanding the existing detention center or adding more beds.
Instead, it calls for reforms throughout the entire process, beginning before a person is booked and continuing through arrest, transportation, health screening, housing, court proceedings, treatment, diversion, release and communication with families.
“More jail beds will not correct missed medical warning signs, interrupted medications, untreated withdrawal, failed mental health referrals, delayed court action, weak communication between agencies, or the lack of meaningful accountability after serious failures,” said Steve Huerta, executive director of All of Us or None Texas.
“This framework is about preventing death by fixing the system at every point where intervention is possible.”
The organizations are calling on the Bexar County Commissioners Court, Sheriff’s Office, University Health, District Attorney’s Office, pretrial services and contracted healthcare providers to publicly support the plan and establish an implementation timeline.
“We are demanding, not requesting, that these officials commit to the framework’s core reforms,” the organizations said in announcing the event. “People are dying now.”
Five Areas Targeted for Bexar County Jail Reform
The framework recommends action in five primary areas:
- Safer intake and early intervention
People entering custody should be promptly screened for medical emergencies, suicide risk, mental illness, alcohol or drug withdrawal, chronic health conditions and necessary medications.
- Medical and mental health continuity
Health concerns identified during arrest or booking should lead to actual care. That may include a clinical review, medication reconciliation, treatment, court notification or a documented diversion decision.
- Diversion and population management
Police, prosecutors, judges, public defenders, hospitals and behavioral health providers should create stronger pathways to treatment and community supervision for people who do not need to remain in jail.
- Family rights and communication
Families should receive timely and accurate information when a loved one is seriously injured or dies in custody. The proposal also calls for a Family Liaison Office to improve communication and access to records.
- Independent accountability
The framework calls for independent mortality reviews, written corrective action plans, firm deadlines, publicly identified responsible officials and consequences when repeated failures are not corrected.
Organizers also want the county to create a public accountability dashboard so residents can track whether reforms are being implemented and whether they are producing measurable results.
Existing Diversion Programs Show Another Approach Is Possible
The proposal acknowledges that detention officers, medical professionals and other frontline employees are also affected by staffing shortages, fragmented leadership and unsafe working conditions.
Organizers pointed to Bexar County’s Restoration Center and other jail diversion initiatives as evidence that people experiencing mental health or substance-use crises can be directed toward treatment rather than incarceration.
The Restoration Center, which opened in 2008, reports diverting more than 100,000 Bexar County residents from jails and emergency rooms while saving taxpayers more than $96 million. The center currently connects more than 1,400 people with services each month.
“This is about building a system that protects everyone,” Huerta said. “It must protect the people in custody, support the staff responsible for their care, respect grieving families, and give the public honest information about whether problems are actually being corrected.”
Bexar County Jail Framework Press Conference
The press conference will begin at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, on the steps of the Bexar County Courthouse, 100 Dolorosa St.
Scheduled speakers include Huerta; Ananda Tomas, executive director of ACT 4 SA; and Krish Gundu, executive director of the Texas Jail Project.
The full framework and a two-page community summary will be distributed to public officials, families, community organizations, journalists and residents. Speakers will be available for interviews following the presentation.
