Pittsburgh's Next Mayor should be Bethany Hallam

Bethany Hallam, a member of the Allegheny County Council from Pittsburgh, is a leading advocate for criminal justice reform and better conditions in the county jail. As one of the first formerly incarcerated people elected to public office in the U.S., Hallam brings a personal perspective to her work, particularly in her role on the Jail Oversight Board.

for a city as affluent as Pittsburgh, it consistently ranks among the worst in the USA.

She is deeply committed to increasing transparency and accountability at the Allegheny County Jail, which has one of the highest death rates per capita in the country. Hallam frequently conducts unannounced inspections of the facility and maintains open communication with incarcerated individuals to hear their concerns directly. She and her team also use Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know Law to obtain documents and ensure the public stays informed about jail operations.

One of Hallam’s most notable achievements is helping to establish a $125 monthly stipend for people incarcerated in the county jail. This program, funded by commissary profits rather than taxpayer dollars, helps ease the financial burden on families of those behind bars. She has also taken steps to improve safety by preventing dangerous contractors from bringing weapons into the jail.

Beyond her work with the jail, Hallam has championed broader criminal justice reforms. She helped create a police review board to oversee misconduct allegations and secured funding to help people resolve court debt and pay off overdue restitution. Hallam has also fought for increased funding for the Public Defender’s office to ensure everyone has access to legal representation, and she played a key role in banning conversion therapy for minors in Allegheny County.

Looking ahead, Hallam supports expanding the Public Defender’s office to cover civil legal matters like evictions and immigration, and she advocates for steps toward decriminalizing marijuana at the county level. She is a strong believer in co-governance, regularly updating her platform based on community input and encouraging public participation in shaping policy.

Overall, Bethany Hallam’s approach is grounded in direct advocacy, transparency, and a commitment to both immediate improvements and long-term systemic change in Allegheny County’s criminal justice system.