Dallas County is expected to move forward in 2026 with purchasing land for a new jail facility, according to Clay Jenkins, who cited overcrowding and the age of the current jail as driving factors.
Jenkins said the existing Dallas County jail is nearly 50 years old and no longer meets the county’s needs. Speaking on Inside Texas Politics, he said consultants are already evaluating how a new facility would be designed and built, but emphasized the project would take years to complete.
“I think we’ll have the land bought in ’26,” Jenkins said. “It’s a multi-year, closer to a decade project to get it all done and approved and built.”
Jenkins said the new jail is expected to be extremely costly, with estimates reaching as high as $5 billion.
While a location has not been finalized, Jenkins said the new jail will not be built between Dallas’ two Calatrava bridges, where the current jail is located. He said the facility would still need to be located within a few miles of the county courthouse.
Jenkins also said the jail would be designed with an increased focus on mental health treatment, arguing that outcomes related to rehabilitation and public safety should guide the project.
“You’ve got to build a jail that can get you good outcomes,” Jenkins said. “If all we do is cycle criminals through the jail over and over again and they go back out and commit crimes again, that’s not the way to handle public safety.”
Moving the jail from Dallas’ west side could open the area for future redevelopment.
During the interview, Jenkins also addressed the ongoing dispute involving Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), as several member cities consider whether to leave the system. Voters in Plano, Irving, Farmers Branch, and Highland Park are scheduled to decide in 2026 whether to exit DART, though the cities have until March 18 to cancel the votes.
Jenkins said he supports bringing in a mediator and warned that significant changes to the regional transit system could have economic consequences for North Texas.
