Giles W. Dalby Unit

Garza County TDCJ prison in West Texas that the state purchased and reopened as a state-operated unit in February 2026.

Overview

The Giles W. Dalby Unit is a TDCJ prison for men near Post, in Garza County, West Texas. The TDCJ unit directory lists it at about 1,906 beds, with a G1-G4 custody mix.

The unit was built by Garza County in the late 1990s and was operated under private contract for years before that contract ended. The state then purchased the facility and brought it under direct operation, so two facts shape visiting here: the unit is newly state-operated, and its location is remote.

What Makes the Dalby Unit Different

• The state purchased the facility for $110 million and reopened it as a TDCJ state-operated unit, with a grand opening on February 24, 2026
• The unit had been operated under a private contract before that contract ended; it is now run directly by TDCJ
• It carries a substance-recovery and reentry mission, including a Substance Use Education Program (SUEP) and a Recovery Housing Opportunity Program (RHOP)
• The facility is fully air-conditioned, which is relevant in the West Texas heat

Visiting Hours and Procedures

The statewide rules above — approval, ID, prohibited items, and dress code — apply at the Dalby Unit. What follows is specific to this unit.

Because the unit only recently reopened under state operation, visiting procedures may still be settling into place. Confirm with the unit that visiting is fully stood up before making the trip.

The unit’s custody mix is the other variable. General-population housing typically uses standard contact visiting, while more restrictive housing can mean different room assignments or non-contact procedures on the same weekend. The format follows the incarcerated person’s classification, so two families arriving the same morning may have different experiences.

Getting There and Parking

The Dalby Unit is near Post, in Garza County, in West Texas south of Lubbock. The drive finishes on rural roads, and services thin out over the last stretch.

There is no fixed-route bus to the unit, so the trip is by private vehicle. Post is a small town, and the nearest larger service center for gas, food, and lodging is in the Lubbock area to the north.

Phones, Mail, and Video

Contact has a sequence to it. A phone number must be on the incarcerated person’s approved contact list before calls can connect, and after intake or a transfer that approval can take time to process. Calls are placed by the incarcerated person on TDCJ’s Securus phone system; a prison cannot be called into. Account setup, rates, and video options are covered in Phone & Video Calls.

Incoming mail is addressed to the incarcerated person at the unit, with their TDCJ number included. What can be sent and what gets rejected is covered in Mail & Packages.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone at a Texas state prison:

• Visiting in Texas — TDCJ approval process, dress code, scheduling
• Mail & Packages — what you can send and what gets rejected
• Phone & Video Calls — Securus accounts, call costs, video visits
• Sending Money — how to add funds to a TDCJ trust account
• Medical & Mental Health — healthcare in TDCJ facilities
• Transfers — what happens during transfers