Jail Oversight Board

Jump to a Section:

The Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board is a statutory body whose responsibilities include the operation and maintenance of Allegheny County Jail and its alternative housing facilities, oversight of the health and safekeeping of its incarcerated residents, and the confirmation of the County Executive’s selection of a warden. The Board’s legal authority is outlined under 61 Pa. C.S. §§ 1721-28.

Members


The Board comprises both elected and non-elected members, including:

  1. The County Chief Executive
  2. Two judges of the Court of Common Pleas, one of whom is the President Judge or their designee who is also a judge, and one judge appointed by the President Judge
  3. The County Sheriff
  4. The County Controller
  5. The President of County Council, or their designee
  6. Three citizen members (who shall not be employees of Allegheny County or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and appointed by the Chief Executive for a three-year term with consent from County Council)

As of February 2024, Board members include:

  1. County Executive Sara Innamorato
  2. President Judge Susan Evashavik DiLucente
  3. Judge Kelly Bigley
  4. Sheriff Kevin Kraus
  5. Controller Corey O’Connor
  6. Councilmember Bethany Hallam, designee of County Council President Pat Catena
  7. Barbara Griffin, citizen member
  8. Muhammad Ali Nasir (Man-E), citizen member
  9. Rob Perkins, citizen member

    Meetings


    The Board is required to meet at least once per month, which has typically occurred on the first Thursday of every month pending scheduling or external conflicts. Meetings are open to the public and take place in the Gold Room (4th Floor) of the Allegheny County Courthouse (436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219).

    Board meetings are streamed live via YouTube and recordings can also be accessed on the Jail Oversight Board channel here.

    Public Comments


    Public input is an essential part to each meeting, and members of the public may submit comments online prior to monthly Board meetings via the County Courts website here. Please submit comments no later than 12:00 p.m. noon the day before a Board meeting occurs. In addition, members of the public may sign up for public comment before each meeting by using the sign-up sheet provided outside the Gold Room.

    Comments submitted online will be read in their entirety and presented in the order in which they were received. Depending on the number of comments received, some may not be read at the meeting. All comments, including those exceeding 5 minutes, are given to the Board, and included in the meeting minutes made available below.

    Community Resources


    The Corrections Collective, a community-based advocacy group, has prepared the following resource guide listing supports for incarcerated individuals, their families, and communities challenged by the impacts of arrest and incarceration. This organization identifies problems and strategies for change by involving affected individuals, families, and communities and collaborating with community organizations, corrections leadership, and elected officials. It also provides education, consultation, and advocates for system change that serve the interests of a just society. For questions regarding this guide, the information included inside, or Corrections Collective, please contact Allison Haley-Lewis at ahaley.lewis@gmail.com.

    Records and Information

    The Controller’s Office endorses public access to records and documents regarding the Board and Allegheny County Jail. To access information such as audits, meeting minutes, reports and studies, and all other jail-related records, please see below.

    Please note: Monthly meeting minutes are posted once they are voted on and approved by the Board (e.g., September’s meeting minutes will be posted after the Board approves them during the October meeting).

    In addition, the warden’s monthly reports containing data and information from the month prior are presented at the proceeding board meeting (e.g., the warden’s report presented during September’s meeting reflects data from August).

    Incarcerated Individuals Welfare Fund

    In response to discussions of the Jail Oversight Board (JOB) and questions from the families of individuals in the County Jail and the public, my office has conducted a review of the Incarcerated Individuals Welfare Fund (IIWF). The IIWF supports individuals housed in the Jail through a portion of the proceeds of commissary purchases. A report detailing the IIWF’s financial standing and recommending guidelines for its future use can be found below and will be presented to the JOB for consideration. Most crucially, we must continuously solicit the input of incarcerated people and their families on what has proven to be beneficial.

    Warden's reports

    Title Action
    February 2024 Warden’s Report VIEW DOCUMENT
    January 2024 Warden’s Report VIEW DOCUMENT
    December 2023 Warden’s Report VIEW DOCUMENT
    November 2023 Warden’s Report VIEW DOCUMENT
    October 2023 Warden’s Report VIEW DOCUMENT

    Meeting minutes

    Title Action
    January 2024 Jail Oversight Board Minutes VIEW DOCUMENT
    December 2023 Jail Oversight Board Minutes VIEW DOCUMENT
    November 2023 Jail Oversight Board Minutes VIEW DOCUMENT
    October 2023 Jail Oversight Board Minutes VIEW DOCUMENT
    September 2023 Jail Oversight Board Minutes VIEW DOCUMENT

    Meeting Agendas

    Title Action
    March 2024 Agenda VIEW DOCUMENT
    February 27, 2024 Agenda VIEW DOCUMENT
    February 2024 Agenda VIEW DOCUMENT
    January 2024 Agenda VIEW DOCUMENT
    December 2023 Agenda VIEW DOCUMENT

    Past Public Comments

    Title Action
    October 2023 Public Comments VIEW DOCUMENT
    September 2023 Public Comments VIEW DOCUMENT
    June 2023 Public Comments VIEW DOCUMENT

    Other Jail Oversight Board Documents

    Title Action
    Inspection by Controller O’Connor and Terri Klein December 2023 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Corrections Collective Resource Guide VIEW DOCUMENT
    May 2023 JOB-ACJ Book Committee Meeting Notes VIEW DOCUMENT
    Jail Oversight Board Liaison Memorandum of Understanding VIEW DOCUMENT
    Recommended Standards for Policy on Notification of Death, Injury, or Illness in Custody VIEW DOCUMENT
    Inspection by M. Gayle Moss February 2023 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Allegheny County Jail Suicide Prevention Progress Assessment VIEW DOCUMENT
    Inspection by Controller O’Connor and Terri Klein October November 2022 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Inspection by Judge Elliot Howsie September 2022 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Inspection by Steve Pilarski September 2022 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Jail Oversight Board Liaison Job Description VIEW DOCUMENT
    Pitt School of Social Work ACJ Needs Assessment Fall 2021 VIEW DOCUMENT
    Unannounced Inspection by Terri Klein VIEW DOCUMENT
    Commissary Comparison – All Items VIEW DOCUMENT
    Market Price Comparison of Commissary Items VIEW DOCUMENT
    April 1, 2021 Motions VIEW DOCUMENT