Tennessee Department of Correction will offer more accommodations for deaf incarcerated people after lawsuit settlement

A new lawsuit settlement will ensure that all deaf, incarcerated people in Tennessee Department of Correction custody will have access to videophones, sign language interpreters and other accommodations that allow them to participate in programming and services behind bars.

The settlement marks the conclusion of a lawsuit filed in 2020 by Disability Rights Tennessee and three deaf incarcerated men that alleged TDOC was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide communication for deaf inmates.

“Being deaf in prison can be tantamount to solitary confinement,” said Amy Robertson, a lawyer involved with the suit. “With this settlement, Tennessee joins states around the country that are starting to ensure that deaf prisoners have access to communications technology and other accommodations so they can serve their sentence on terms equal to others.”

Under the terms of the settlement, TDOC said it would provide interpreters for crucial interactions like intake and orientation, medical appointments, educational programming and disciplinary proceedings. The department will also provide videophones at every facility housing deaf prisoners, as well as intake facilities, so deaf people can communicate via sign language.

To ensure that deaf, incarcerated people are identified and adequately accommodated, TDOC says it will screen incoming prisoners and older prisoners, as well as anyone who requests a screening. TDOC will then complete a needs assessment to determine the best services for that person.

In 2024, Judge Aleta Trauger of the United States District Court for the Middle District granted a partial summary judgement in favor of Disability Rights Tennessee and the plaintiffs, saying that TDOC did violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“This settlement means that deaf prisoners in state facilities will have an equal opportunity to get their education, attend religious services, and access their medical care, which is critical to their rehabilitation and success once they return to society,” says Stacie Price with Disability Rights Tennessee.