Warden

Allegheny County is seeking a visionary, community-minded leader to serve as the next Warden of the Allegheny County Jail with responsibility for the programs and operations of the facility in downtown Pittsburgh.

About the Region

With Pittsburgh as the county seat, Allegheny is the most urban of the 10 counties in the western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio region. Allegheny County is rich in culture and entertainment and is home to endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. When it’s time to travel afar, the Pittsburgh International Airport connects the region to the world.

There is much to offer anyone who wants to call Allegheny County home. From over 12,000 acres of public parks in the county to three professional sports teams to a vibrant downtown Cultural District, Pittsburgh has something for everyone. Visitors can see a performance at the August Wilson African Cultural Center or visit the Andy Warhol Museum. Downtown Pittsburgh hosts the iconic food festival Picklesburgh, as well as NCAA March Madness tournament games. The area’s burgeoning food scene includes six restaurants that have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation in the last four years.

Upriver from downtown Pittsburgh, nearly a dozen historic towns are nestled alongside the Monongahela River in Allegheny County’s Mon Valley. For those who decide to make Pittsburgh their home, Zillow recently ranked the city as the most affordable housing market of the 50 largest metro area housing markets in the United States.

About Allegheny County Government

Allegheny County is governed by a 15-member County Council and the County Executive, Sara Innamorato, who was elected in November 2023 and sworn in on January 2, 2024. Executive Innamorato’s priorities for the County Government all support the idea of making Allegheny County a “county for all.” To achieve this vision, Allegheny County Government is making significant investments in the following areas:

• Economic Development: Supporting business districts to ensure their vitality and increase opportunities through the Allegheny Together program.
• Transportation: Expanding the Bus Rapid Transit service and modernizing both the light rail system and Pittsburgh International Airport.
• Employee Benefits: Guaranteeing a range of benefits to County employees on their first day on the job, including parental, sick, and vacation leave as well as time off under the Family Medical Leave Act.
• Healthcare: Increasing access and convenience to high-quality, affordable healthcare for all residents.
• Environmental Health & Sustainability: Providing low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation projects via the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program.
• Housing: Increasing access to long-term housing with the “500 in 500″ plan to make 500 units available to people in the county’s shelters within 500 days, starting in June 2024.

About The Allegheny County Jail

Built in 1995, the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) is a high-rise, direct-supervision jail located in downtown Pittsburgh. Incarcerated individuals committed by the Courts are housed at the ACJ facility and at two alternative housing facilities. While the facility has a capacity of more than 3,000, the average daily population has been below 2,000 for the past few years (the average daily population in May 2024 was around 1,600). This reduction is due to ongoing efforts with partners such as the Safety + Justice Challenge, which focuses on the continued reduction of the number of individuals incarcerated at the facility and promoting programs to help people successfully reenter society. ACJ is accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA). It is one of only three ACA-accredited Adult Local Correctional Facilities in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania will soon be operating under a Medicaid 1115 Demonstration Waiver, giving agencies in the Commonwealth (including ACJ) greater latitude to improve the overall population health outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with a substance use disorder.

Oversight

The Allegheny County Jail Oversight Board ensures that the living conditions within the prison and alternative housing facilities support the well-being of their residents and that ACJ is being operated in accordance with its regulations and the laws and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and of the United States.

The Board investigates allegations of inadequate prison conditions and improper practices occurring within the ACJ and may make such other investigations or reviews of prison operation and maintenance. The books, papers, and records of the prison, including, but not limited to, the papers and records of the Warden and those relating to individual incarcerated individuals, shall at all times be available for inspection by the Board.

At least twice annually, Board Members conduct an unannounced inspection of ACJ’s physical plant during which they interview a cross-section of incarcerated individuals, out of the presence of the Warden and their agents, to determine the conditions within the prison and alternative housing facilities.

Programs

Allegheny County Jail provides a wide range of services to support residents’ well-being, health, and rehabilitation and facilitate their successful reentry.

• Alternative Housing
• Substance Use Programs
• Pre-Released Aftercare Services
• Case Management Services
• Educational Programs
• Re-Entry Programs
• Chaplaincy Program
• Virtual Meeting Services
• Veterans Service Unit

About the Warden of the Allegheny County Jail

“Our community members…who are incarcerated…deserve our respect and investments so they can live full and dignified lives too.”

– Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato

Nothing sets the tone for the work of the next Warden more than these public words from Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. With her plans to develop stronger youth programs, promote workforce equity, and increase access to affordable housing, Executive Innamorato seeks a region in which incarceration is the exception, not the rule. When incarceration is necessary, the priority will be the safety of staff and residents, and the residents’ well-being and preparation for their successful return to society.

Profile and Duties

The next Warden of the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) will have broad responsibility for its operations, the residents within, the various programs administered by the jail (solely and in partnership with other organizations), the performance of the staff of ACJ, and compliance with all relevant policies and laws.

Earlier this year, a community panel submitted a set of recommendations regarding the search process for the next Warden of the Allegheny County Jail. The 8-person panel was comprised of a range of community members who have a stake in the success of this search and who clearly stated that they seek “to empower the jail to provide the best possible care to its residents.”

The following vision for the experience, values, and commitments of the next Warden is inspired by the mandate set forth by Executive Innamorato and informed by the recommendations of the community panel.

Specifically, the Warden will be:

• Collaborative – with a demonstrated ability to work respectfully and successfully with community groups, oversight boards, and legal community;
• Fair-minded and inspirational – committed to the success and professional development of staff and the well-being of jail residents;
• Person-centered – valuing the lived experience of system-impacted individuals and committed to having their voices inform ACJ policies; and
• Visionary – with a clear articulation of the systemic injustices that contribute to incarceration and a commitment to decision-making with this reality in mind

Qualifications

Qualified applicants will have a Bachelor’s degree in public policy, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, social work, public administration, or a related field and at least 6 years of progressively responsible professional experience – preferably in the context of facilities that focus on rehabilitation or education – including the professional development of staff and responsibility for those under their care. Additional experience may be considered as a substitution for education.

The next Warden of the Allegheny County Jail will be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Best practices in correctional systems
• Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances regarding the safety of incarcerated persons and the physical conditions in which they are held
• Familiarity with the Medicaid 1115 Demonstration Waiver (desirable)
• Principles of education and rehabilitation within prisons and outcomes regarding re-entry
• Medical and mental health needs of residential populations in rehabilitative settings
• Motivating and supporting staff and setting clear expectations for organizational success
• Long-standing disparities within the criminal legal system

The next Warden of the Allegheny County Jail will have a track record of success in the following areas:

• Staff support, development, and accountability
• Safety and security for residents, staff, and visitors
• Collective bargaining and unionized workforces
• Policy and procedure development and implementation

For Position Profile

Allegheny-County_Warden-ACJ_Position-Profile.pdf