Texas jailbreak puts spotlight on crowding

DALLAS -- A jailbreak by two convicted killers and two murder suspects has raised questions about overcrowding and security in Texas' county jails, which saw more than 140 escapes last year.

The FBI, Texas Rangers and local police searched on Wednesday for the four inmates who broke out of a North Texas jail on Monday after overpowering a guard with a homemade knife

Two had been serving life sentences for killing an Oklahoma high school cheerleader. The other two had been awaiting trial on charges of murdering an elderly couple.

Authorities alerted witnesses and relatives of the murder victims to be on the lookout for the four, and contacted relatives and friends of the fugitives in Oklahoma, Missouri, Oregon and Alaska.

Texas' 255 county jails counted 141 escapes last year, according to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, which inspects jails. Of that number, 85 occurred when inmates simply walked away from jails or work camps, while 56 occurred when inmates overpowered guards or tunneled out.

Last year, just one prisoner escaped from one of Texas' 110 state prisons and state jails, while in 2000, 16 inmates escaped -- including a gang of seven that was later accused of killing a police officer.

Not enough guards

The Montague County Jail, where the latest escape took place, had been "decertified," or put on warning, in October for exceeding state regulations that require one guard for every 48 inmates.

On Monday, the day of the escape, the jail had 55 prisoners and one guard. That same day, officials transferred eight inmates out to meet regulations.

Law enforcement officials and victims advocacy groups said better salaries and better training for guards would help prevent escapes. They said criminals are also becoming more brazen after seeing so many successful escapes.

Jail guards in Texas are often poorly paid, making less than $25,000 a year, and they are often not adequately trained to deal with seasoned criminals, according to the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.