The article “Lawsuit alleges Allegheny County Jail failed to help man who died by suicide last year” (June 28, TribLIVE) articulates the gross errors made by the Allegheny County Jail staff in caring for Martin Bucek, who died by suicide. A most important question is, who is providing oversight to the investigation of the numerous deaths that have occurred at ACJ?

Although the Jail Oversight Board should be providing oversight regarding the many jail deaths based on Pennsylvania statute, Warden Orlando Harper refuses to provide the JOB access to records and information about the deaths at ACJ. The warden relies on HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) to justify withholding records, but it is clear that there is an exception written into the HIPAA law regarding oversight bodies. Many other jail oversight boards across the country are obtaining records of deceased individuals who have been incarcerated at a jail.

The National Commission on Correctional Health Care is returning to ACJ in August for a follow-up assessment of ACJ’s practices regarding suicide prevention. The JOB should ask the commission to also assess ACJ’s practices regarding the commission’s standard on “Procedure in the Event of a Death,” J-A-09.

Harper resists oversight, which is costing lives and many lawsuits for county taxpayers. Releasing these records and information to the JOB is legally mandated and the right thing to do.

John Kenstowicz

Morningside

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