no interpreters in jail

Beo, what were you sent up for?
 
zookeeper4321 said:
This is a private company that is contracted to run the facility. However, it's a huge company.
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I'm woefully bad with remembering this stuff but I'm pretty sure that a company of that size still comes under the ADA. And I think if a facility receives ANY government funding -- which a prison must, even if a private company runs it -- then it is subject to ADA. Correct me if I'm wrong.

MorriganTait said:
AA meetings typically function with very little or no funds, especially those operating inside a prison, so hiring an interpreter is extraoridinarily cost prohibitive.
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True, I've never known a person who interpreted for 12-step meetings and wasn't a volunteer. I started to learn about doing this but an unfortunate incident with a fellow interpreter led me to quit. Sad, because there's a severe lack of interpreters for these meetings in my area.
 
Ok, I've been researching this online. I did find cases where facilities were in violation and were successfully sued for compliance. I'm still not sure where you would need to provide services and where you wouldn't. It's impractical to provide an interpreter 24/7. I did see where a county jail was sued to provide cc on TV and phones with TTY.
 
Interpretrator said:
I'm woefully bad with remembering this stuff but I'm pretty sure that a company of that size still comes under the ADA. And I think if a facility receives ANY government funding -- which a prison must, even if a private company runs it -- then it is subject to ADA. Correct me if I'm wrong.
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I believe you are right on that point, that they are required to provide interpreters. The debatable point is probably how often and for what "events" in prison/jail that they need to provide the service. As I have been researching the cases, it seems that even the legal "experts" don't agree.


True, I've never known a person who interpreted for 12-step meetings and wasn't a volunteer. I started to learn about doing this but an unfortunate incident with a fellow interpreter led me to quit. Sad, because there's a severe lack of interpreters for these meetings in my area.
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I need to check on this one. I think some terps in this state get paid for the service. I want to double check before I say for sure.

Here's one possibility. If the 12-step program has been assigned to the Deaf client as part of a legal probation condition, or as part of another therapy that IS covered by Medicare/Medicaid, then that might be how the terp is paid.
 
As for the actual issue -

A friend of mine works at the ADA Helpline for the Department of Justice. She answers questions like this all day long. You could give the ADA Helpline a call, they know what to do with this situation, I promise.

800-514-0301 (voice)
800-514-0383 (TTY)
 
A private company contracts with prisons of other states because those states have a shortage of space to house prisoners. The private company charges these states for the housing and care of these prisoners. Why would you think these private companies have to comply with the ADA? Why would you think these private companies receive government moneys and consequently are mandated to comply with the ADA?

Are you saying that just because these private companies have an X number of employees and therefore are legally bound to follow the laws of the ADA irregardless of whether or not they receive government funding?
 
Tousi said:
A private company contracts with prisons of other states because those states have a shortage of space to house prisoners. The private company charges these states for the housing and care of these prisoners. Why would you think these private companies have to comply with the ADA? Why would you think these private companies receive government moneys and consequently are mandated to comply with the ADA?

Are you saying that just because these private companies have an X number of employees and therefore are legally bound to follow the laws of the ADA irregardless of whether or not they receive government funding?
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Private companies must comply with the ADA under certain circumstances, whereas public agencies (or private compnies acting on behalf of a public agency) probably have a higher level of expectation of compliance. This is traditionally the case with many federal laws, not just the ADA.
 
Tousi said:
A private company contracts with prisons of other states because those states have a shortage of space to house prisoners. The private company charges these states for the housing and care of these prisoners. Why would you think these private companies have to comply with the ADA? Why would you think these private companies receive government moneys and consequently are mandated to comply with the ADA?

Are you saying that just because these private companies have an X number of employees and therefore are legally bound to follow the laws of the ADA irregardless of whether or not they receive government funding?
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The ADA absolutely does apply to private companies, whether they receive funding or not. It's Section 508 that applies to government agencies.
 
Etoile, hi. Government agencies? Ok, but we are talking about a private company, not a government agency.
 
Tousi said:
Etoile, hi. Government agencies? Ok, but we are talking about a private company, not a government agency.
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That's what I just said. They are two different laws.

Section 508 - disability laws for government agencies
ADA - disability laws for private companies regardless of funding

You had said:
Tousi said:
Are you saying that just because these private companies have an X number of employees and therefore are legally bound to follow the laws of the ADA irregardless of whether or not they receive government funding?
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My answer is: Yes, private companies ARE bound to follow the ADA. Doesn't matter where they get money.
 
Hey, I just read the ADA and it applies to:

Employers, public and private
Public agencies
Public services/amenities/facilities provided by public agencies and/or private companies
Agenices/companies providing public transportation

Section 508 of what? Section 508 is not in-and-of-itself a freestanding law. It has to be a section of a law. If you are referring to Section 508 of the ADA, I think you may be mistaken:

SEC. 508. TRANSVESTITES.
For the purposes of this Act, the term "disabled" or "disability" shall not
apply to an individual solely because that individual is a transvestite.

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/pubs/ada.txt

In addition to the ADA itself, there are MANY related local, state and federal statues and court findings which further expand on the ADA itself, supplement it, or clarify it.

Rule of thumb - if someone somewhere is being crummy to a disabled person, and it keeps that person from doing something, working somewhere or getting a promotion or raise, getting around, or basically is treating them as less-than in any meaningful way - it's a good bet it's covered somehow in one law or another.
 
MorriganTait said:
Section 508 of what? Section 508 is not in-and-of-itself a freestanding law. It has to be a section of a law. If you are referring to Section 508 of the ADA, I think you may be mistaken:
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Section 508 is indeed a law. It is an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, added in 1986. Kindly read here about it. Note that it is only ever referred to as Section 508 and there is even a website called section508.gov.

But again, Section 508 is for government agencies only. The law that involves the jail situation is the ADA. I only brought it up in reference to the federal funding that was mentioned regarding a private entity.
 
Etoile said:
The ADA absolutely does apply to private companies, whether they receive funding or not. It's Section 508 that applies to government agencies.
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What she said, and plus my point was that even if a private company is running the facility, the jail itself is not a private entity but must be some sort of county, city, state, or federal institution, and thus also subject to ADA. Unless it's, like, "Bob's Jail, Family Owned since 1956" or something.
 
Lol, ok, ok, I get it now....just wanted to be sure; something wrong with that? Smarminess doesn't become anyone cept maybe stand-up comics. :mrgreen:
 
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