With the masonry skills developed at theTrade Institute, Ronnell Miller is buildingpizzaandbread ovens, which will be sold to earn revenue for the organization’s entrepreneur-in- training program. 20 TheTradeInstituteofPittsburgh BREAKINGTHECYCLE OFINCARCERATION D R I V E R S Z I P P I N G I N T O D O W N T O W N on the Parkway East caneasilyignorethegrayfacadeoftheAlleghenyCounty Jail.The ranksofmenandwomenheldinside — some2,200 a dayina buildingbuiltfor1,450 — aregrowing.Incarceration ratesatthecountyjailhaveincreasedby62percentoverthe past20years,andnowconsumehalfofthecounty’sannual budget.AfricanAmericanfamiliesinAlleghenyCounty aredisproportionatelyaffected:13percentofthecounty’s populationisAfricanAmerican,butnearlyhalfofthepeoplein thecountyjailareblack. Whatarewedoingwrong?ThePittsburghFoundation’s 100PercentPittsburghorganizingprinciplewascreatedto helpbreakthecycleofgenerationalpovertythatisresponsible foranincreaseintheschool-to-prisonpipelineforyouthages 12to24,particularlyinminoritycommunities.TheFoundation askedyouthinvolvedinthejuvenilejusticesystemhowthe systemcouldbechanged.Theirtoprecommendations:End zero-toleranceschooldisciplinepoliciesthatoftenleadto confinement for minor nonviolent infractions; and increase access to mental health services.The Foundation also supportedastudybytheUniversityofPittsburghInstituteof Politics’CriminalJusticeTaskForce,whichfoundthatcostlyand unfairpre-trialdetentionhasbeenamajorcontributortothe county’s70percentjailpopulationincrease. TheFoundationisalsomakinggrantstopromisinglocal efforts.Apilotprojectunderwayonthecity’sNorthSideto keepfirst-timeoffendersoutofjailfocusesonspecialized policetraining.Asecondprogramsupportsthoseleaving jailtolearnconstructiontradesattheTradeInstituteof PittsburghinHomewood.SinceSteveSheltonfoundedthe Institutein2009,200graduateshavefoundliving-wagejobs, andthegroup’sreincarcerationrateis4percent,farbelowthe statewideaverageof22percent.NowenrolledintheTrade Institute’sEntrepreneurinTrainingProject,RonnellMillerisone oftheformallyincarceratedindividualshopingtobeattheodds.