This paper explores the failure of American prison systems to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners. Sign language is sparsely accessible to deaf individuals in prisons. Communication and access to language are key to the human condition and democratic participation. When prison administrations ban sign language, deaf individuals are prevented from accessing programs and services that would lead to lower recidivism rates, and they are prevented from participating democracy. Since use of sign language is a natural part of many individuals’ deaf experience, barring its use is also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation states that deaf individuals must have equal access to services and benefits provided by public entities. Prisons are one type of public entity, and they are required to provide reasonable accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners. This article addresses issues regarding deaf prisoners’ right to communication and provides a thorough understanding of Deaf culture and communication, and the importance of sign language to both of these. The project attempts to dig deeper into the research question of how sign language is inseparably linked to effective communication access for deaf and hard of hearing people. Secondly, it addresses whether if American Sign Language (ASL) classes should be offered in prisons. The author recommends offering free ASL classes, to improve communication access for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners, to improve access to services and programs the correctional facility provides and to increase knowledge of and sensitivity to Deaf culture and communication within the staff and hearing prison population. This recommendation and project require further research because the subjects of this project interviews indicated that there may be a split within the deaf prison community as whether to take the classes.
","abstract_html":"<p>This paper explores the failure of American prison systems to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners. Sign language is sparsely accessible to deaf individuals in prisons. Communication and access to language are key to the human condition and democratic participation. When prison administrations ban sign language, deaf individuals are prevented from accessing programs and services that would lead to lower recidivism rates, and they are prevented from participating democracy. Since use of sign language is a natural part of many individuals’ deaf experience, barring its use is also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation states that deaf individuals must have equal access to services and benefits provided by public entities. Prisons are one type of public entity, and they are required to provide reasonable accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners. This article addresses issues regarding deaf prisoners’ right to communication and provides a thorough understanding of Deaf culture and communication, and the importance of sign language to both of these. The project attempts to dig deeper into the research question of how sign language is inseparably linked to effective communication access for deaf and hard of hearing people. Secondly, it addresses whether if American Sign Language (ASL) classes should be offered in prisons. The author recommends offering free ASL classes, to improve communication access for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners, to improve access to services and programs the correctional facility provides and to increase knowledge of and sensitivity to Deaf culture and communication within the staff and hearing prison population. This recommendation and project require further research because the subjects of this project interviews indicated that there may be a split within the deaf prison community as whether to take the classes.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Marshall, Kayleigh A"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Public Affairs (MoPA)","degree_level":"Project/Capstone - Global access","degree_discipline":"Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Karin Cotterman","Richard Johnson","Angela Fleekop"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-12-13T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-12-13T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:43Z","subjects":["Communication access","American Sign Language","prison system","correctional facilities","deaf prisoners","American Disabilities Act","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/3","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Karin Cotterman","Richard Johnson","Angela Fleekop"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Marshall, Kayleigh A"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-12-31T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Project/Capstone - Global access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Public Affairs (MoPA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Communication access","American Sign Language","prison system","correctional facilities","deaf prisoners","American Disabilities Act","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/3"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This paper explores the failure of American prison systems to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners. Sign language is sparsely accessible to deaf individuals in prisons. Communication and access to language are key to the human condition and democratic participation. When prison administrations ban sign language, deaf individuals are prevented from accessing programs and services that would lead to lower recidivism rates, and they are prevented from participating democracy. Since use of sign language is a natural part of many individuals’ deaf experience, barring its use is also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation states that deaf individuals must have equal access to services and benefits provided by public entities. Prisons are one type of public entity, and they are required to provide reasonable accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners. This article addresses issues regarding deaf prisoners’ right to communication and provides a thorough understanding of Deaf culture and communication, and the importance of sign language to both of these. The project attempts to dig deeper into the research question of how sign language is inseparably linked to effective communication access for deaf and hard of hearing people. Secondly, it addresses whether if American Sign Language (ASL) classes should be offered in prisons. The author recommends offering free ASL classes, to improve communication access for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners, to improve access to services and programs the correctional facility provides and to increase knowledge of and sensitivity to Deaf culture and communication within the staff and hearing prison population. This recommendation and project require further research because the subjects of this project interviews indicated that there may be a split within the deaf prison community as whether to take the classes.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Silence to Signs: Bridging the Communiction Gap for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Inmates in Prisons"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Karin Cotterman","Richard Johnson","Angela Fleekop"],"dc:creator":["Marshall, Kayleigh A"],"dc:date.available":["2013-12-31T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This paper explores the failure of American prison systems to provide communication access to deaf and hard of hearing prisoners. Sign language is sparsely accessible to deaf individuals in prisons. Communication and access to language are key to the human condition and democratic participation. When prison administrations ban sign language, deaf individuals are prevented from accessing programs and services that would lead to lower recidivism rates, and they are prevented from participating democracy. Since use of sign language is a natural part of many individuals’ deaf experience, barring its use is also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation states that deaf individuals must have equal access to services and benefits provided by public entities. Prisons are one type of public entity, and they are required to provide reasonable accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners. This article addresses issues regarding deaf prisoners’ right to communication and provides a thorough understanding of Deaf culture and communication, and the importance of sign language to both of these. The project attempts to dig deeper into the research question of how sign language is inseparably linked to effective communication access for deaf and hard of hearing people. Secondly, it addresses whether if American Sign Language (ASL) classes should be offered in prisons. The author recommends offering free ASL classes, to improve communication access for deaf and hard-of-hearing prisoners, to improve access to services and programs the correctional facility provides and to increase knowledge of and sensitivity to Deaf culture and communication within the staff and hearing prison population. This recommendation and project require further research because the subjects of this project interviews indicated that there may be a split within the deaf prison community as whether to take the classes.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/3"],"dc:subject":["Communication access","American Sign Language","prison system","correctional facilities","deaf prisoners","American Disabilities Act","Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration"],"dc:title":["Silence to Signs: Bridging the Communiction Gap for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Inmates in Prisons"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good"],"thesis:degree_level":["Project/Capstone - Global access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Public Affairs (MoPA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:42:43Z"}