Potter County Jail Struggles with Overcrowding and Mental Health Challenges

By Isabeth Castillo, isabetca@ttu.edu

As of February 20 2025, the Potter County Detention Center housed 603 inmates, surpassing its 599-bed capacity. 

With 10 to 11 inmates fostered out to other counties such as Childress, Garza, Scurry, and Lynn and a medical unit holding between 8 to 10 individuals, the facility faces increasing pressure. 

Potter County Jail Captain, Jeremy Frazier, emphasized that overcrowding creates major stress for both the inmates and staff.  

“It causes all sorts of issues, because everything from food service to medical service to inmate laundry, all of those things become more and more bogged down just because of how full the facility is,” Frazier said.

Potter County Jail Inmate Count Over Time

Beyond overcrowding, the jail struggles with space limitations in a nearly 30-year-old facility, making it difficult to accommodate inmate programs and mental health services. 

Frazier warns that delaying expansion will only make the issue worse. 

“Nobody likes to spend money on mental health and jails, and I understand that it's not a popular subject, but unfortunately, it's not going to go away, and it's not going to get cheaper, and at some point it's going to have to happen,” Frazier said.

In response to mental health needs, the jail has transitioned to a new provider, enhancing access to psychiatric services. This change has introduced full-time Licensed Professional Counselors on-site and 24-hour telemedicine access, improving the support system for inmates. 

However, the physical limitations of the facility persist, with makeshift solutions like converting dead-end hallways into conference rooms for mental health consultations.

Beyond operational challenges, overcrowding has profound implications for inmate mental health. 

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, studies have shown that high degrees of sustained crowding can lead to increased illness complaints, higher death and suicide rates, and elevated disciplinary infractions among inmates. 

Additionally, overcrowded conditions are associated with heightened levels of depression and hostility, further deteriorating inmates' psychological well-being, according to Auburn University.

Despite these challenges, Captain Frazier remains hopeful that a planned expansion will ease overcrowding, improve inmate services, and provide space for much-needed programs. 

While funding remains a hurdle, he stresses that planning must start now.  

“We need to start working towards that plan now, because if we don't, it's going to end up being something that we are going to get slapped with and backed into a corner that we have no choice,” Frazier said.