Report of a Project To Prepare a Manual of Procedures for Serving Deaf Defendants, Victims and Witnesses

• NCJ Number: 87496
• Author(s): T E Whalen
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 175 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. New York University - doctoral dissertation

Annotation

This working manual is to be used in initiating procedures in criminal cases involving deaf defendants, victims, and witnesses, and resulted from studying criminal cases involving deaf persons in Kings County, N.Y., for 1.5 years.

Abstract

The manual defines the problem that deaf persons have with the criminal justice system and the problems the system has in serving them. It discusses new procedures introduced into the system by the researcher as solutions to these problems. Under the new procedures, a caseworker is assigned to work with a specialized attorney as part of the defense or prosecution team. The caseworker has specific tasks to perform at each stage of the proceedings. In fulfilling this role, the caseworker is not an interpreter but an advocate for the deaf defendant or deaf victim. The caseworker's job is to ensure that deaf persons understand the legal system and, when working with an attorney, to assist them in making decisions affecting their legal rights. The caseworker's specific duties at each stage of the criminal proceedings are described. Tables, figures, resource material, and study instruments are provided. (Author abstract modified)