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.

At the jail, we continue to follow the guidance of our health officials. People are wearing masks, washing their hands and remaining physically distanced. We’re testing when appropriate. Positive cases are isolated. We perform contact tracing and quarantine those individuals. We have consistent cleaning of the environment. Ongoing screenings include temperature checks and queries about symptoms of all employees and contractors. Visitation restrictions, while difficult for everyone, are limiting the number of people who interaction with the inmates and reducing the chance of spread. Our healthcare staff and key personnel working directly with those who are isolated or quarantined due to COVID were among the very first employees in the county to be vaccinated. We continue to enforce and reinforce all recommendations and these measures have been upheld by our hardworking, essential employees and dedicated staff. They work continuously to ensure the safe management of this facility and all those who are in it.

Healthcare and other personnel at the Allegheny County Jail were among the first employees in the county to begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. To date, the facility has held three vaccine clinics and a total of 355 employees have been vaccinated with the first shot, while 330 have received both shots. Those employees include healthcare, correctional staff, and other direct care essential employees on all three shifts. Additionally, 146 Alternative Housing employees have been vaccinated with the first shot, while 145 have received both shots.

In cooperation with Allegheny Health Network (AHN), the facility’s medical provider, an on-site vaccination clinic was held on April 12 during which 284 incarcerated individuals received the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. Based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), use of the J&J vaccine is currently suspended while further information on effects of the vaccine are studied. A second scheduled clinic has been postponed and AHN and ACJ will work together to reschedule the clinic at a later date.

Medical providers at the ACJ will continue to closely monitor those vaccinated individuals for symptoms or signs of illness as a result of the vaccine, as they would have any way. Additionally, inmates have received additional information about potential symptoms and are advised to notify staff as soon as possible if experiencing any issues. 

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

Effective Wednesday, July 8, 2020, the Allegheny County Jail will allow attorney visits to the facility.   More information

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 17, 2020, through noon on April 24, 2021, a total of 7,705 inmates have been released from the facility.