It took some people nearly a year into the pandemic to even find out Covid-19 was a thing. Contacting family members and lawyers became a pipe dream. When sick, assaulted, or in danger, phone hotlines were no help. Some have even lost their ability to use sign language.
This has been the experience of Deaf people in prisons, jails, and other detention centers. How can it change?
In January 2024, a new order will require all prison phone companies to provide video communication technology – allowing Deaf people to sign to each other – as well as ASL interpretation services and captioned phone calls.
But there are drawbacks.
This mandate will only cover systems with broadband internet connection that incarcerate at least 50 people. It allows companies to charge imprisoned users for calls. And assumptions of criminality, like officials claiming Deaf people would use the services to traffic drugs or build weapons, linger.
Recent data says 10% of people in state prisons and 6% in federal prisons have a hearing disability. For Black Deaf people, the criminal legal system is one of racial criminalization, brutal isolation, and deadly miscommunication.
The absence of communication channels in prisons is intentional for an inherently anti-Black and ableist system. Accessibility behind bars is critical, but not the end goal. Black Deaf people deserve more than being tortured and dehumanized in the first place.