Deaf/Hard-of-hearing Individuals in the Court System
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Individuals who are Deaf/HH often face many barriers when they enter the criminal justice system. These barriers can occur at all stages of the legal process, including arrest, interrogation, courtroom hearings, trails, acquittal, probation, incarceration, and parole. This results from the denial of the proper communication modalities to interact with CJS officials, as few attempts are made to solve this language barrier. One of the most common impediments involves the right to effective counsel. Deaf/HH individuals may not be properly Mirandized, be able to contact a lawyer, or have a similar level of communication with their attorney as persons without a hearing impairment. When Deaf/HH individuals are not provided equal access in the criminal justice system, then justice has not been served. This project examines lawyers and legal services for Deaf/HH individuals, the courts, justice, and evolving court polices.