ABSTRACT
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections et al., petitioners v. Ronald R. Yeskey
. No. 97, June 15, 1998). Despite some contention, the decision stands. Other suits have focused on law enforcement practices involving disabled offenders and issues relating to legal representation. The impact of the ADA is being felt throughout the criminal justice system, especially as it is estimated that upwards of 6 percent of adult inmates experience some form of mental disability, and the percentage experiencing physical difficulties will only rise with the aging of the prison population. The impact will be even stronger within the juvenile offender population, as estimates put the percentage of the learning-disabled-only juvenile offender population
at 50 to 80 percent (Jacobson, 1976). This figure does not include those with physical disabilities or mental illness.
