Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Says His Office Was Not Advised On Closure Of Shuman Center

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Allegheny County District Attorney has responded to the imminent closure of the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center.

District Attorney Stephen Zappala says his office wasn't advised or consulted on the implications of the closure.

Zappala's full statement is below.

"We have been aware of management issues regarding the Shuman Center for quite some time.

It's obvious when you're operating under a provisional license that there are ongoing matters that are not being addressed or corrected.

Not having been advised or consulted on the legal implications of the proposed Shuman Center closure, it's necessary to make appropriate inquiries into considerations that touch or concern the constitution.

It is especially troublesome when the operation of the center has been described as involving "gross incompetence, negligence and misconduct" as characterized by the state Department of Human Services."

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His office is now looking into the center's condition and whether or not anyone's constitutional rights had been violated.

Shuman is expected to close next month.

For now, the union that represents the employees at the center is urging the county to appeal the state's order to close the center.