HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a policy update at the Allegheny County Bureau of Corrections to strengthen religious accommodations for individuals entering the criminal justice system.
The change comes after collaboration between the Office of Attorney General’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section and Allegheny County officials to ensure respectful treatment of individuals wearing religious head coverings during the jail booking process.
Under the new policy, the county will permit any arrestee to wear a religious head covering (Hijab, Yarmulke, Turban, etc.) while taking their booking photo if the covering does not obstruct their face and profile. Additionally, head covering searches must now happen without individuals of the opposite sex present.
“This policy update is about upholding basic dignity while preserving religious freedoms for individuals,” Attorney General Sunday said. “Many people wear religious head garments as a sincere tenet of their religious faith and no one should have to choose between their faith and their rights. I commend Allegheny County for working closely with my office to craft a policy that balances institutional safety with constitutional protections.”
“We aspire to treat all of our incarcerated residents with dignity and respect, and we are pleased to have worked with the Office of the Attorney General to craft this guidance,” said Warden of the Allegheny County Jail Trevor Wingard.
The policy improvements stem from an incident in October 2024, when a Muslim woman was forced to remove her Hijab during her booking process. The County had a policy allowing inmates to wear religious headgear in the facility, but no formal, written policy for the booking process. She filed a complaint with the Office of Attorney General’s Civil Rights Enforcement Section, which then worked with the County to address the issue.
The policy includes clear procedures for correctional staff to follow when an arrestee enters the facility with religious attire. It mandates communication with the chain of command and consultation with chaplaincy services in cases of uncertainty. If a person feels their religious rights have been violated during booking, staff must file a report and notify supervisors immediately.
This matter was handled by Deputy Attorney General Kevin Bendesky of the Civil Rights Enforcement Section, under the direction of Chief Deputy Corbett Anderson.
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