NCJ Number
139435
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 18 Issue: 1/2 Dated: (1992) Pages: 191-204
Date Published
1992
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The results of a national study on the accessibility of prison facilities and programs for physically disabled inmates in State correctional systems are presented.
Abstract
The study had a 72-percent response rate, with 36 of 50 States responding. Responses were evaluated by geographic region and in terms of inmate population size. State correctional facilities with populations of 10,000 or more accounted for 38.9 percent of the total return rate. Twelve facilities with 5,000 or fewer inmates accounted for 33.3 percent of the return rate, while 10 departments with 5,001 to 9,999 inmates accounted for 27.8 percent of the response. The design capacity of correctional systems ranged from 715 to 47,206 inmates. Actual inmate populations ranged from 750 to 54,155, with a mean of 12,979. The 34 correctional systems providing data on the number of disabled inmates reported 119 disabilities for 110 females and 3,064 disabilities for 2,950 males. Vision disabilities included blindness, partial sight, and related diseases. Hearing disabilities included deafness and partial hearing loss. Bodily disabilities, comprising the most frequently reported disability type, included amputations, paralysis, and related impairments. Of responding correctional systems, 25 percent said they provided housing for disabled inmates in the general population or mainstream prison areas. A combination of mainstream and designated housing was used by 66.7 percent of the correctional systems. Information obtained from prison administrators indicated that access to programs and facilities for disabled inmates was very limited. No State reported full accessibility for the disabled. Specific recommendations to improve accessibility for disabled inmates and to avoid litigation are offered. 15 references and 3 tables