Hays County announces the launch of its new Jail Population Insight Dashboard. An interactive digital tool providing real-time data over the following categories:
• Daily updates of jail population statistics
• Demographic breakdowns by age, race, gender and booking reason
• Average length of stay metrics in colorful, easy to grasp format
• Locations held, in or out of the county
• ICE detainers and countries of origin
• Pre-Sentenced vs Sentenced statistics
• Historical trend data comparison; featuring bookings, releases and jail population
• Intuitive interactive functionality that allows a user to drill from a decade to a specific date
• Mobile-friendly interface for access on any device The platform is mobile friendly for access on any device. It is developed, maintained and fully controlled by Hays County. Ensuring long-term sustainability and local oversight of this transparency initiative. The dashboard is available to the public at hayscountytx.gov/ demographics-jail-dashboard- 01.
Jeff McGill, Hays County IT Director, highlighted the technical improvements.
“We’ve built this dashboard from the ground up with a focus on accessibility and user experience,” McGill said. “Our in-house solution ensures we can quickly implement upgrades, respond to community feedback, and maintain continuous operation without depending on external funding cycles. The technology framework we’ve implemented allows for seamless integration with our jail management system while maintaining strict privacy protocols for sensitive information.”
Hays County expresses its gratitude towards the Vera Institute of Justice for laying the foundation of this initiative. Vera Institute provided the Legacy Dashboard and collaborated with our Hays County to advance transparency in our justice system.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra noted the progress of the Hays County Judicial System over the past eight years and attributed it to the successful efforts of county officials and staff.
“As one of the originators of modernizing our judicial system, I am most grateful to the Vera Institute of Justice that came in under those efforts, and I would love to thank the Sheriff Hipolito for taking the lead and helping bring this in-house for maximum control and efficiency moving forward, since our contract has come to a conclusion,” Becerra said. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with our IT Director Jeff McGill to help shape the items that are important to us as a community. Thank you all for your continued support.”
Michelle Cohen, Hays County commissioner pct. 2, said she recognizes the importance of transparency to the community and stakeholders who rely on the data for new initiatives and research.
“The new jail dashboard, which will be managed in-house, will save the county money while providing up-todate information and flexibility for customization,” she said.
Anthony Hipolito, Hays County sheriff, said the dashboard represents the county’s commitment to transparency, particularly when data-driven insights are critical to effective criminal justice reform.
“By providing accurate, timely information about who is in our jail and why, we’re giving residents the tools to understand our operations and hold us accountable,” he said. “This isn’t just about sharing numbers – it’s about building the foundation for meaningful dialogue about justice in our community.”
Julissa Villalpando, Captain-Corrections Support Service Bureau, emphasized the operational benefits.
“Before implementing this dashboard, our staff spent countless hours responding to data requests from researchers, journalists and community organizations,” Villalpando said. “Now, anyone seeking information can access information instantly, allowing our team to focus on our core mission of maintaining a safe, humane facility. One of the key new features is a tracking system that shows where individuals from Hays County are being transferred. This addition further strengthens our commitment to transparency and accessibility.”
The new platform is developed, maintained, and fully controlled by Hays County, ensuring long-term sustainability and local oversight of this transparency initiative. Hays County remains committed to ongoing transparency. The dashboard allows the public to gain understanding of incarceration patterns and how they correlate to policy decisions.
