Westmoreland's released jail inmates offered free rides home

Westmoreland County Prison inmates have a new way to get home when their incarceration ends.

An expanded program operated by Sage’s Army, a private nonprofit focused on drug addiction and recovery, is offering free rides for inmates.

Janie Olson, the agency’s director of operations, told members of Westmoreland County’s Prison Board on Monday that Sage’s Army is expanding its program to assist former inmates. The move comes in response to concerns raised by residents around the Hempfield lockup. They say inmates released from confinement in early evening hours — after bus service ceases for the day — regularly walk along Route 119 in South Greensburg, Youngwood and other locations.

“We’re trying to give them a head start and help direct them to the right resource,” Olson said.

Sage’s Army initiated its inmate assistance program last year with funds it received through a $300,000 state and federal grant and an additional $182,000 allocation through Westmoreland County’s portion of the Pennsylvania $2.2 billion settlement with drug manufacturers and distributors. The county is expected to receive about $48 million in settlement funds over 15 years.

Olson said Sage’s Army is now expanding its program, initially designed to assist former inmates with drug addiction issues. That program includes free rides for former inmates seeking medical treatment for addiction and gift cards for groceries.

The agency used a portion of its grant funds to purchase a vehicle for those free rides and to provide ride-sharing vouchers for times when transportation cannot be facilitated.

Westmoreland County Prison releases inmates twice a day, at 10 a.m and 6 p.m. Jail staff assists inmates whose release is planned, but officials acknowledge there are cases when an unexpected court ruling could leave some without the ability to make prior transportation arrangements.

“It’s been great,” said Warden Steve Pelesky of the transportation program. “We don’t want people walking down the highway.”

Two inmates were given free rides last week from Sage’s Army. More are expected as the program becomes publicized, Olson said.

With a growing jail population at the Hempfield lockup, there are more inmates being released.

In April, 319 inmates were allowed to leave the facility, a more than 7% increase over the same time period last year.

Pelesky said there were 697 inmates assigned to the jail on Monday, although just 608 were actually housed at the facility. The remaining inmates were temporarily assigned to other facilities, either for treatment programs or to attend court hearings in other counties.

In April, the number of inmates assigned to the jail topped 700, closing in on the jail’s capacity of 720.

Officials said the jail population has remained at elevated levels for the last several months. In April 2024 the jail averaged a roster of 630 inmates with 554 housed daily at the facility.

Meanwhile, the prison board on Monday approved the hiring of 16 new corrections officers. Pelesky said this will return the jail to its full staffing level of 156 guards.