Crime and Justice

Data on crime trends, policing practices, court services, people incarcerated in the County’s jail, and youth in the juvenile justice system.
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Risk Classification in the Allegheny County Jail

A new and improved security risk classification system was recently implemented in the Allegheny County Jail. Each inmate is assessed through the use of a validated tool and assigned a […]

Aggravated Assault in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Aggravated assault rates generally declined in the City of Pittsburgh, but at a slower pace than in comparable cities. Aggravated assault was most prevalent […]

Theft in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Pittsburgh’s theft rate declined and remained among the lowest in the Pittsburgh Today comparison group. Theft was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East End and […]

Robbery in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Robbery rates declined, remaining among the lowest in the Pittsburgh Today comparison group. Robbery was most prevalent in neighborhoods historically beset by violent crime, […]

Rape in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through 2015: Rape rates fluctuated, but were generally lower by 2015 than they were in 2005. Rape was most prevalent in neighborhoods historically beset by violent crime, […]

Motor Vehicle Theft in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Pittsburgh’s motor vehicle theft rate declined sharply and remained the lowest among comparable mid-sized cities. Motor vehicle theft was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East […]

Drug Violations in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Drug violation rates decreased in the City of Pittsburgh, accompanied by reductions in adult and juvenile arrests. As drug violations declined, marijuana made up […]

Burglary in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Burglary rates in Pittsburgh were lower than in most comparable cities. Burglary was most prevalent in Pittsburgh’s East End, North Side and South Side […]

Arson in the City of Pittsburgh

From January 2005 through July 2015: Arson rates increased in the City of Pittsburgh, contrary to trends observed in comparable cities. Arson was most prevalent in the Homewood, North Side […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]