Jail

Allegheny County Jail

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Our Response

The Bureau of Corrections is charged with providing for the care, custody and control of persons committed to the Allegheny County Jail. Confined areas present challenges when it comes to mitigation and elimination of the spread of illness or disease, and COVID-19 is no exception.

On March 13, 2020, we made the decision to restrict social and professional visits. On March 27, we announced that one of our staff members had a confirmed case of COVID-19. While that individual did not have direct inmate contact, we also stepped up our response implementing additional measures including active screening for fever and respiratory symptoms in staff, contractors, inmates and individuals coming into the facility at intake. With the Court’s approval, legal visits were also restricted with alternative ways for individuals to communicate with their attorneys set up.

The availability of authorized cleaning agents effective at disinfecting the virus has been increased, as well as regularly scheduled mandatory cleaning sessions across the entire facility. Physical distancing is being emphasized to employees and inmates across the facility, including limiting out-of-cell time to ten inmates at a time. Educational materials are posted across the jail, and town hall meetings have been held on each pod to discuss frequent cleaning and physical distancing. Every housing unit has been appropriately supplied with bars of soap to increase hand washing and hygiene among the population. In order to mitigate the effects of no outside contact, inmates are being allowed one free daily five-minute phone call.

All employees and inmates have been provided with masks. Those in direct contact with COVID-19 positive inmates, or suspected COVID-19 positive inmates, are being provided with additional personal protective equipment (PPE) including N95 masks.

The first inmate case was diagnosed on April 8, 2020. The information below includes data on the cumulative total of positive cases, the number of individuals still housed in the facility, the number recovered, and any hospitalized due to COVID-19. It is updated on a daily basis.

We continue to work closely with the Health Department and follow guidance from their team, as well as that provided by the PA Department of Health, the PA Department of Corrections and the CDC.

The health, safety and welfare of the inmates and our staff remains our biggest priority. We are deeply indebted to, and salute, our healthcare and corrections staff who are working tirelessly to care for those in our custody. We recognize the commitment, dedication and sacrifices that represents, and remain grateful for everything that they do.

*Pursuant to a policy of the PA Department of Corrections, any inmate being transferred to state facilities must have a negative test for COVID-19 before transfer can be made. As a result, those inmates awaiting transfer are being tested on an ongoing basis. Additional testing of inmates is done in consultation with the Allegheny County Health Department.

** Specimens submitted for analysis have been indeterminate during the first run, resulting in retests. While most retests result in either a positive or negative case, five inmate's results came back as indeterminate. The numbers are off by five due to these cases.

Attorney Visits

Inmate Release

Since March 16, 2020, a collaboration of officials in the Criminal Court, including Judges, Court Administration, Adult Probation, Pretrial Services, the Public Defender’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office, have been continually reviewing cases to determine which inmates are appropriate for release. Those cases are then addressed in Motions Court or reviewed with the assigned Judge depending on the circumstances. Inmate releases are being processed as they are received, following the same process related to discharge and release as is done traditionally. From March 16 through noon on November 17, a total of 4,867 inmates have been released from the facility.

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