Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Deaf prisoners sue Illinois Department of Corrections - chicagotribune.com
A group of deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners sued the Illinois Department of Corrections on Wednesday, alleging that the agency discriminated against them by refusing to provide American Sign Language interpreters, technological assistance and other alternate forms of communication.
The prisoners cannot hear fire alarms or other safety alerts or orders, forcing them to depend on inmates and putting them in danger of being exploited, the federal class action lawsuit states.
In some cases, prisoners say they have missed meals and visitors because they could not hear announcements. In other instances, they allege they have been unable to communicate vital health information to prison staff and have been forced to rely on writing notes to prison counselors though many are only fluent in American Sign Language.
"This is not just a matter of having closed captioning on a TV," said Robert Michels, an attorney with Winston & Strawn LLP, a law firm representing the plaintiffs. "It is about safety issues and health issues."
Plaintiff George Childress, for example, alleges in the complaint that he has been unable to control his diabetes because he cannot communicate with staff. Childress, who is incarcerated for second-degree murder and is deaf in both ears, also said he was punished when a warden mistakenly thought he had stolen food he is given because he is diabetic.
Although some facilities have electronic devices intended to help deaf prisoners communicate, the lawsuit alleges that there are not enough to accommodate at least 25 deaf and hard-of-hearing inmates currently in the system.
The complaint names Acting Director Salvador Godinez and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator L. Rachel McKinzie as defendants and asks that a judge force them to provide more services to deaf inmates. It does not seek any money for the prisoners.
Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Sharyn Elman said the agency had not yet seen the complaint and could not comment.
A group of deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners sued the Illinois Department of Corrections on Wednesday, alleging that the agency discriminated against them by refusing to provide American Sign Language interpreters, technological assistance and other alternate forms of communication.
The prisoners cannot hear fire alarms or other safety alerts or orders, forcing them to depend on inmates and putting them in danger of being exploited, the federal class action lawsuit states.
In some cases, prisoners say they have missed meals and visitors because they could not hear announcements. In other instances, they allege they have been unable to communicate vital health information to prison staff and have been forced to rely on writing notes to prison counselors though many are only fluent in American Sign Language.
"This is not just a matter of having closed captioning on a TV," said Robert Michels, an attorney with Winston & Strawn LLP, a law firm representing the plaintiffs. "It is about safety issues and health issues."
Plaintiff George Childress, for example, alleges in the complaint that he has been unable to control his diabetes because he cannot communicate with staff. Childress, who is incarcerated for second-degree murder and is deaf in both ears, also said he was punished when a warden mistakenly thought he had stolen food he is given because he is diabetic.
Although some facilities have electronic devices intended to help deaf prisoners communicate, the lawsuit alleges that there are not enough to accommodate at least 25 deaf and hard-of-hearing inmates currently in the system.
The complaint names Acting Director Salvador Godinez and Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator L. Rachel McKinzie as defendants and asks that a judge force them to provide more services to deaf inmates. It does not seek any money for the prisoners.
Illinois Department of Corrections spokeswoman Sharyn Elman said the agency had not yet seen the complaint and could not comment.
