Highland Detention at Shuman has a new name, but little has changed at the juvenile detention center since its partial reopening more than a year ago. 

Construction at the center, previously known as the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, has stopped while the county envisions a better place to rehabilitate young offenders. 

After its partial opening in July 2024, the center still has one pod with 12 beds for juvenile offenders accused of serious crimes. It’s nowhere close to the 60 beds promised to law enforcement, which says juvenile justice remains a revolving door.  

According to court records, from January 2023 to August 2025, 119 juveniles met the criteria for detention but were not detained due to a lack of detention beds. Most offenders are put on electronic monitoring bracelets, but in the past two years, there have been 297 incidents where juveniles cut them off or let the batteries die. 

Still, after inheriting the project from the prior administration, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato’s administration hit pause, stepping back and re-envisioning Shuman as a place to not only detain young people but also educate and counsel them. This week, the administration unveiled plans for a cleaner and more welcoming environment. It is also applying to the state for $52 million to $60 million in funding, which is about double the original estimates. 

“It’s going to be a significant project for the county and for our state partners,” said Grant Gittlen, chief of staff for Innamorato

“We need to get at least two more pods open as quickly as possible,” Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena said.

State government is embroiled in budget talks, but if it does approve the funding, the new timeline has construction resuming next summer, with the first new beds opening in the summer of 2027. 

However, that is far too long for Catena, who says the project may need to be fast-tracked and streamlined.

“We need to get this facility open as quickly and efficiently as possible while living within our means,” he said. “That’s the bottom line.”

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