Reports
From Postponements to Efficiency: Expedited Case Disposition in Allegheny County Criminal Court
Unwieldy case backlogs and delays inspired a number of changes in how the Allegheny County Criminal Court processes cases. By expediting plea offers, completing discovery and providing evidence at formal […]
Sharing Data to Support Homeless Students in Allegheny County
Schools districts and human service systems define homelessness differently (as mandated by their respective regulatory and funding entities), resulting in many youth who are known to only one system. While […]
Homeless in Allegheny County: The Client Experience
DHS conducted a review of Allegheny County’s services for homeless individuals and families, as part of a strategic plan to improve the quality, accessibility and comprehensiveness of the system; this […]
Evaluation of the Allegheny County Jail Collaborative Reentry Programs
Prepared by: Urban Institute Click to read the full report.
School-Based Probation in Allegheny County: Examining the Costs and Benefits
Intensive supervision programs like school-based probation are increasingly viewed as a way to generate savings to society, by preventing or reducing the likelihood of crime, as well as to improve […]
Introducing Performance-Based Contracting: A Comparison of Implementation Models
Linking provider payments to performance measures is gaining popularity as a way to improve outcomes, efficiency and innovations. Three performance-based contracting models have been implemented in Allegheny County, targeting: 1) […]
The Costs and Benefits of Day Reporting Centers: A New Model of Adult Probation in Allegheny County
The Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) worked with Adult Probation to conduct a cost–benefit analysis of Day Reporting Centers (DRC) for offenders who have re-entered the community. The […]
Addressing School Absenteeism
An increased focus on school attendance has led to the implementation of a number of strategies designed to reduce absenteeism and its related impact on academic outcomes. The implications of […]
Changing Trends: An Analysis of the Allegheny County Jail Population
From 2000 to 2012, Allegheny County Jail bookings decreased by approximately one-third. Arrests are the principal contributor to the number of bookings over time, but the number of arrests that […]
Permanency Roundtables: Challenging Barriers to Permanency for Children in Out-of-Home Care
Permanency Roundtables are an important component of Allegheny County’s strategy to improve permanency outcomes for children in child welfare out-of-home placements. Roundtables engage practitioners, caseworkers, providers and permanency experts in […]
Inua Ubuntu: An Assessment of Implementation, Program Process and Child Welfare Involvement
Inua Ubuntu, designed to provide culturally-based intervention with a goal of reducing the rate of out-of-home placement for African American males, was implemented by the Allegheny County Department of Human […]
Common Assessment Tools: Implementation and Implications for Service Integration
An initial assessment is often a client’s first service experience, and, as such, it plays a major role in the perception, comfort and outcomes of the service. Simultaneously, the assessment […]
Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste: Building a Better Home-Delivered Meals System
When its largest provider of Home -Delivered Meals (HDM) suddenly decided to discontinue its service, the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) had just weeks to ensure that 800 frail and […]
Pretrial Decision-Making: How a Model Pretrial Services Program Changed Allegheny County’s Criminal Justice System
The Allegheny County Pretrial Services Department works behind the scenes to provide information and make recommendations to judges who have to make rapid and critical decisions at Motions Court almost […]
Reducing Street Violence in Allegheny County: Research & Recommendations
This report was prepared in response to concerns about high levels of street violence, particularly in certain areas of the county, and to support the joint efforts of the Allegheny […]