Report: Wisconsin corrections officials accused of preventing deaf inmates access to services
A report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said three deaf / hard-of-hearing people incarcerated at Wisconsin corrections facilities will each be paid $15,000 as a part of a settlement agreement based on complaints that inmates with hearing disabilities did not have equal access to programs, services and activities.
There was an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department on complaints that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WDOC) failed to provide auxiliary aids and services to deaf and hard of hearing inmates, including access to sign language interpreters.
One issue appears to be related to availability of ASL interpreters. The settlement said the WDOC will have to maintain contracts with one or more interpreter service agencies to ensure that qualified interpreting services, including VRI, are available 24/7.
The settlement said WDOC will not use another inmate to interpret for a deaf inmate unless the deaf inmate specifically requests and agrees with this and the circumstances are appropriate.
The settlement said WDOC will not use its staff to serve as ASL interpreters except in appropriate circumstances such as informal communications or in emergency situations.
WDOC will have to make videophones available at every correctional facility that has deaf or hard of hearing inmates.
Another issue was that inmates did not have their hearing aids repaired and returned to them in a timely manner. Now, corrections officials will have to provide hearing aids and cochlear devices to those who need it free of charge and follow a timely schedule.
Another issue is to ensure that deaf inmates who use sign language are allowed to be handcuffed in front, as long as there are no safety concerns.
The agreement said the WDOC has to set up a process to identify and accommodate inmates with hearing disabilities beginning at intake and continue checking throughout their incarceration.
The DOJ said the settlement resolves the investigation, but the ACLU of Wisconsin said the settlement, although a good step, doesn’t go far enough. The ACLU of Wisconsin said experts who have been working on this issue for years should have been contacted while the agreement was being crafted. It is apparent they weren’t contacted.
The links to the article and to the settlement agreement are in the transcript.
Settlement: https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1371371/dl
-——-
Sponsored video by Convo: www.convorelay.com
———