| Sumario: | Part of a special section on the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the design, construction, and operation of correctional facilities. The ADA of 1990, the goal of which is to protect the approximately 43 million Americans who have some form of disability, acknowledges that these individuals constitute a discrete and insular minority that has suffered discrimination, isolation, and political powerlessness. The act bars discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public services and transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications services. In relation to corrections, three distinct groups receive protection under the act: staff, inmates, and the public. Each group must be taken into account during the design of inmate programs and the space in which these programs are conducted.
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