Wisconsin Prisons to Assist Hearing-Impaired Inmates Following Settlement
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has reached an agreement to offer more support to hearing-impaired inmates after a settlement with federal investigators. The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed that they had been investigating complaints from inmates at various correctional facilities in Wisconsin, including the Racine Correctional Institution, the Taycheedah Correctional Facility, and the Felmers O. Chaney Correctional Center in Milwaukee.
The investigations revealed that Corrections officials were neglecting to repair inmates’ hearing aids and failing to provide essential services like sign language interpreters, text telephones, and hearing aid-compatible devices. U.S. Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad stated, “People with disabilities in Wisconsin deserve equal access, and that does not change when they are incarcerated.”
As part of the settlement, the Corrections department will now offer hearing-impaired inmates appropriate aids and services, including sign language interpreters, video telephones, and hearing aids when required. The agency is also obligated to make reasonable policy adjustments to accommodate the needs of hearing-impaired inmates, such as allowing them to have their hands cuffed in front for signing and providing extra time for phone calls with interpreters.
Additionally, Corrections staff will establish a process to identify hearing-impaired inmates upon their admittance to a facility, provide ADA training to employees, and compensate three impacted inmates with $15,000 each. A spokesperson for the Corrections department did not respond to requests for comment on the settlement.
This agreement comes amidst a series of challenges for the agency, including several inmate deaths within the prison system in recent months. Five inmates have died at the Waupun Correctional Institution since June 2023, with causes ranging from suicide to drug overdose. Former Warden Randall Hepp and other staff members from Waupun are facing misconduct charges related to some of these deaths. Investigations are also underway into a suspected smuggling operation at the facility.
In a separate incident, a Green Bay maximum-security prison inmate was charged with killing his cellmate based on race and sexual orientation. Moreover, a 16-year-old inmate at the state’s youth prison was charged with the murder of a counselor during a confrontation in June. These incidents have added to the growing concerns within Wisconsin’s prison system.
The commitment to support hearing-impaired inmates is considered a step towards addressing the accessibility and accommodation needs of all incarcerated individuals in Wisconsin.