Ms.

Janet Perriman
Chief of Detention
Tulare County Sheriff's Department
County Civic Center
Visalia, California 93291

RE: Complaint Numbers

Dear Chief Perriman:

This letter is to notify you that, based on the assurances

that the Tulare County Sheriff's Department has provided, we have
determined that the complaint filed against the Tulare County
Jail under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (ADA) will be resolved.

Specifically, the complainant, Mr. who is deaf

and uses a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) to make
telephone calls, alleged that his request to use a TDD was denied
on several occasions (including during his booking) while he was
incarcerated in the Tulare County Jail from
He asserts that he had to prevail (in writing) on other inmates
to make calls for him.

In telephone conversations with Mr. Jerry Kersten of the

Tulare County Thrift Management Office on October 27, 1995, and
Lieutenant James Hinesly on June 14, 1996, we were informed that
the County has since provided one TDD in each of its three jails.
A copy of one of the serial tags from one of the three TDD's was
also faxed to us on February 21, 1996. We also requested that
the County adopt a policy stating that the Sheriff's Department
will make its TDD's available to inmates and visitors with
hearing impairments at all times that others without hearing
impairments have access to telephone communication. In addition,
we requested that the Sheriff's Department notify individuals
with hearing impairments indicating the availability, location,
and procedure (if applicable) for requesting the use of TDD'S.

cc: Records, Chrono, Wolfson, Wodatch, Magagna:dhj

T. 7/16/96 udd\Wolfson/Tulare.clo

01-00431

-2-

From the conversation with Lieutenant Hinesly on June 14,

1996, it is our understanding that the Sheriff's Department is
adopting this policy and that it will appear in the Department's
personnel manual by September 1996. It is also our understanding
that by September, the Sheriff's Department will be placing a
statement regarding the availability of TDD's in the materials
that all jail inmates receive. We would like to request that
this information regarding the availability of TDD's is also
posted next to public telephones that visitors have access to
when visiting the jails.

Because of the Sheriff Department's foregoing efforts, we

are closing our investigation of this complaint. Our decision to
close this investigation is based upon the oral assurances and
information you have provided. This letter resolves only those
matters set forth in the complaint that we received. It does not
prohibit the Department from initiating future investigations in
response to complaints about the accessibility of services,
programs, or activities undertaken by the Sheriff's Department,
and it does not limit the right of any individual to pursue
through private litigation either the matters raised in our
investigation or any other alleged violation of Title II of the
ADA.

We appreciate the cooperation that Tulare County has

demonstrated during the resolution of this complaint. If you or
your staff have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
(202) 307-1378 (Voice) or (202) 307-2678 (TDD). In any
correspondence regarding this matter, please reference the
Department of Justice complaint number cited above.

Sincerely,
 Robb Wolfson
Investigator
Disability Rights Section
Civil Rights Division

cc: Lois E. Strain, Staff Attorney

Tulare/Kings County Legal Services

01-00432