The population at the Allegheny County Jail has surged over the past several months, even as violent and property crime in Pittsburgh and the rest of the county has continued to drop.

The increase in prisoners is a trend that county leaders say is driving up costs and complicating efforts to balance next year’s proposed $1.2 billion operating budget.

At both the county’s budget presentation last week and the Jail Oversight Board meeting early in the month, leaders described the jail as one of the largest and fastest-growing expenses in county government.

“It is truly not fair for the taxpayers to spend their money like this while crime is falling,” said County Executive Sara Innamorato during her budget presentation Tuesday to County Council.

The proposed 2026 budget projects roughly

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