Wisconsin prisons agree to help hearing-impaired inmates under settlement

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has agreed to provide more help to hearing-impaired inmates as part of a settlement with federal investigators. The U.S. Department of Justice had been investigating the Department of Corrections after receiving complaints from inmates at facilities in Racine, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee. They said the agency wasn’t repairing inmates’ hearing aids and wasn’t providing access to services such as sign language interpreters, text telephones and phones compatible with hearing aids. Under the settlement the U.S. Justice Department announced Monday, the Department of Corrections will provide hearing-impaired inmates with appropriate aids and services and make reasonable policy changes to accommodate such inmates.