Nueces County Jail sees its lowest inmate numbers in months, but holiday season may disrupt this trend, notes Sheriff J.C. Hooper.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Nueces County Jail is seeing its lowest inmate numbers in months, according to Sheriff J.C. Hooper. But with the holiday season approaching, that trend may not last long.

RELATED: Man accused of multiple child sex crimes in Travis County gets probation instead of prison

Hooper said the jail’s population recently dropped below 90% capacity for the first time in a long time — a benchmark he considers healthy for operations.

“Ideally we want to be below 90% because we need that much free space in the jail where we can move inmates around based on their classification or behavior,” Hooper said. “So anytime we’re at 90 or below, that’s a good thing.”

On average, between 30 and 35 people are booked into the jail each day, with roughly the same number released on bail, bond or transferred to state facilities. That balance keeps the jail population steady — but it typically shifts during the holidays.

“We always see a surge during the holiday season, a surge in population during the holiday season, and also in the first part of summer because everybody’s out of school — and they’re on vacation,” Hooper said.

He added that the increase has less to do with a spike in crime and more to do with the criminal justice system slowing down. Court schedules, jury availability and staff vacations often lead to delays in processing cases, causing the jail population to rise temporarily.

“I think it’s important for the citizens to know what goes on in their county jail,” Hooper said. “It costs about $20 million a year to run this jail, and the citizens deserve to know how that money’s being spent.”

Hooper said the inmate count directly affects staffing and overtime, which ultimately impacts the county’s budget. The Texas Commission on Jail Standards requires at least one correctional officer for every 48 inmates, so as the population fluctuates, so does staffing.

He said keeping the population below 90% not only improves safety but also helps the jail operate more efficiently and reduce costs.

“I’d like to see zero. I wish there was no crime,” Hooper said. “The only reason this county jail exists is to maintain order in our community.”