Reuse of Old Jail Benefits Family and Juvenile Courts

• NCJ Number: 195049
• Journal: Corrections Today Volume: 64 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 108-113
• Author(s): Robert J. Bailey; Thomas E. Donatelli
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 6 pages
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article describes the reuse of a historic jail in Allegheny County in Pennsylvania.

Abstract

This article details the problems of the Allegheny County Family Courts System during the 1990’s. The family courts were housed in overcrowded and inefficient spaces within Allegheny County, resulting in undue stress to families who used the court system and an overlapping of services. Meanwhile, the old county jail, an impressive historic building, sat unused because it was no longer an efficient jailhouse. In order to renovate the historic jailhouse into a feasible court building, the county commissioners had to overcome problems of funding and commissioner turnover. However, they persevered and the new Allegheny County Family Courts System is now an impressive and efficient court building. It has won many awards including the American Institute of Architects Pennsylvania’s Merit Award and the Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh’s Preservation Award.