American With Disabilities Act and Criminal Justice: Providing Inmate Services

• NCJ Number: 148139
• Date Published: 1994
• Author(s): P N Rubin; S W McCampbell
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 92-IJ-CX-0009
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis

Annotation

This paper examines the implications for inmate programs and services of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that State and local government agencies provide equal access for persons with disabilities to programs, services, and activities, as well as to employment opportunities.

Abstract

During the first 9 months the ADA was in effect, the Department of Justice received 272 complaints for alleged violations of the law, most of which were employment-related, with prisons and law enforcement the main target. The second most frequent complaint concerned accessibility of facilities or programs in courthouses and prisons. Title II defines the essential eligibility criteria for a disabled person and provides general guidance for an agency regarding its policies and procedures, architectural barriers and programs access, and communications. Correctional administrators face unique ADA-related issues in their inmate intake assessments, classification decisions, and inmate programming including educational programs, drug and alcohol treatment, library services, and inmate work programs. ADA accessibility requirements also apply to prison visitors. 11 notes