Encore Episode 3: Accessibility in Florida Prisons

We’ll be back in April with new episodes. But until then we’re releasing encore presentations of several early episodes that matter just as much today as they did when they were originally recorded. This month, we bring you our 14th episode, Accessibility in Florida Prisons. This episode was originally released on November 21, 2017, when Disability Rights Florida was suing the Florida Department of Corrections over an enforcement of a settlement agreement signed in summer of that year. That settlement agreement was intended to ensure that individuals with disabilities in prisons were having their rights vindicated under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but over the years, we learned that many of these provisions were not being enforced, which led to the lawsuit. Since that time, the two parties have settled with stronger language and oversight, but the struggle for the rights of individuals with disabilities in prisons continues. The prison population not only has a larger proportion of individuals with disabilities than the general population, but, in Florida especially, it is rapidly aging, making the ADA in prisons more important than ever in this State. As we continue our work in this area, please enjoy this encore episode of You First. Links Original Presentation of Episode 14: Accessibility in Florida Prisons News Room: Disability Rights Florida Settles Landmark Lawsuit Against Florida Department of Corrections for Systemic Violations of Disability Laws News Room: Disability Rights Florida Sues Florida Department of Corrections for Breach of Settlement Agreement Protecting Incarcerated People with Physical Disabilities News Room: Disability Rights Florida Reaches Settlement with Florida Department of Corrections Requiring Systemic Reforms to Treatment of Incarcerated People with Disabilities