Best Systemic Practices for the Management of Deaf Suspects

• In Event: Criminal Justice Concerns About Fairness and Abuse

Abstract

Deaf suspects are a largely underexplored population in criminal justice research, and there are very few studies that have examined their involvement in the criminal justice system. In addition, virtually no research has been conducted on how to manage the deaf from a systemic perspective. Without standardized practices and procedures for handling the deaf, the criminal justice system runs several risks, including disparate treatment and violations of ADA-guaranteed rights that may lead to inadmissible evidence, dismissals of cases, and lawsuits and litigation, all of which create additional strain on an already overburdened system.

Author

• Beau Shine, Indiana University - Kokomo