Our analysis of the services of the Allegheny County Jail has led us to recommend that the County consider contracting out the management of the jail. We found that the current public delivery and contracting were the only feasible alternatives. We have found evidence that there may be opportunities to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the jail’s management through contracting, but these potential savings cannot be quantified unless bids are solicited from interested public and private providers. Without these bids, it is difficult to estimate the potential cost savings from private service providers, because their are few comparable facilities that are currently privately managed.

One similar facility, the Delaware County, Pennsylvania Jail, recently contracted out for private management services with Wackenhut Corrections Corp. The early evidence from this site show that they are saving money (how much?). Allegheny County should continue to evaluate how well private management services are working for Delaware County.

There are legal proceedings in Delaware County that require mention. The public employees at the jail have sued the County for allegedly engaging in unfair labor practices. They have charged the County with breaking their existing contract, for altering the benefits without due process, and for not negotiating in good faith. Allegheny County would do well to engage the local jail unions to communicate their intentions and to solicit a bid from the union well in advance of considering the award of a contract for management services. They should also honor existing agreements to avoid experiencing Delaware County’s current legal problems.