People with disabilities in corrections Research Paper

People with disabilities in corrections - Research Paper Example Alternatively, there is a need for the government and local authorities to support the acceptance of persons with disabilities both in the community and the jail system. This should begin by establishing separate facilities in various institutions that make the life of disabled people easy and comfortable. For example, the areas include schools, hospitals and mostly prisons where, as research indicates, there is less awareness. On the other hand, the campaign to ban the placement of mentally ill prisoners in supermax cells and solitary units is a great step to reduce discrimination for such prisoners (Ford, Burt, & Dooher, 2010). Furthermore, the establishment of programs that cater for their needs is paramount if it receives support from the prison authorities. There are different ways in which people with disabilities manage in jails. For example, there is the American With Disabilities Act (ADA) that oversees the dispensation of criminal justice both at the local and state levels. Therefore, this act calls upon humane methods of enabling disabled prisoners to live in the various correctional facilities spread around the country. The act requires that prisoners with disabilities receive constant mental screening so that their conditions do not become worse. Similarly, there should be an evaluation in terms of disabled prisoners’ conditions in order to prevent instances of violence and other unbecoming behaviors. On the other hand, such prisoners should be given urgent treatment whenever the need presents itself for both health and security purposes in the correctional facilities (Greifinger, 2007). There is also the aspect of conducting a separate assessment for IQ and other forms of disabilities to avoid mixing such persons with other prisoners. Alternatively, there are also the provision of a half-way house within the jail system where prisoners with disabilities receive both community and coordination services. However, this approach has been deemed expensive and is only applied in a few prisons with disabled persons. In other words, because of the lack of adequate community programs to care for prisoners in the jails, there have been increased communal problems. Another way disabled people manage in prisons is due to authorities understanding their needs. This suggests that correction officials have set other correction options in order for the developmentally disabled persons to receive better services (Kupers, 2003). In the same scope, there is The Connections program that is implemented at the Oregon State Penitentiary; it offers network and case management for prisoners with disabilities. Therefore, disabled prisoners with successful participation in this program have a chance for early release or reduced duties within the prison. The program runs for about six to eight months and ensures the constant assessment of the prisoners within the jail yard. It also protects them from various elements of harm such as prison viole nce and other forms of molestation. In other words, the program helps the disabled prisoners to cope by acquiring workforce and education skills. Therefore, before entering the program, the disabled prisoners are expected to undergo mandatory screening, especially if it is mental disability. The screening instruments they undergo include WAIS-R and BASIS exam. However, if a disabled offender scores the reading