Last week, a deaf man from Kent was convicted of raping a 21-year-old Norwich woman and given a five year jail sentence, which the judge said would have been six if it were not for his deafness.
Andrew Oruovo was in Norwich City centre and took a woman back to his hotel room where her raped her in April last year. Presiding Judge Alasdair Darroch said: “In this case you were out on the street in the early hours and to your knowledge there were vulnerable young women about. I won’t say that you deliberately targeted this woman, I certainly won’t say that you abducted her in the sense of forcing her along the road. I accept it was persuasion rather than physical violence or threat.
“Nevertheless you knew that she was vulnerable, she was unknown to you. You had absolutely no reason to think that she would agree to sexual intercourse with you. In a very short time and against her will you had raped her.”
Oruovo spent time on remand in prison awaiting his trial. He said of prison that it was impossible to join in on training or educational courses because the prison service has no deaf awareness training and this caused him an additional burden, something that the judge recognised. Judge Darroch said that he would have sentenced him to six years but Oruovo’s deafness would make the sentence ‘more difficult and more onerous’.
It’s the first we have heard of a prison sentence being reduced for deafness but it could have happened before. A survey conducted in 2011 revealed that there are 135 deaf of hard of hearing prisoners in England or Wales with only 12 that use sign language.
Earlier this year a study revealed that profoundly deaf prisoners are missing out on important services that could help their rehabilitation because the Prison Service cannot provide for their needs. It seems the judge was ready to accept that argument and that resulted in a shorter term for Andrew Oruovo. Last year authorities in the US were forced to payout $600,000 the family of a deaf man in prison after he committed suicide.
So the question for you is this: Is being deaf in prison more of a punishment than being hearing in prison? Should prison sentences be shorter for deaf people? Is a shorter sentence for a deaf person fair? Should the prison service do more for deaf prisoners? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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Andy. Not him, me.
August 13, 2013
I have often thought that deaf people would almost certainly have a tougher time than hearing in prison. Lots of possible reasons but the main one would be bullying,
I think that Hearing people go two ways, many believe that we have a hard enough time already and will leave us alone. I have had friendships with some surprisingly hard men, who simply felt that I shouldn’t be badly treated and acted accordingly.
But more often than not there will be people who think that deaf people are mugs and there to be ripped off. Those are the dangerous ones. Obviously hearing people have to deal with this too but I think they have superior social skills. They are more likely to be able to talk themselves out of trouble.
I would expect a deaf prisoner to be left out of things, not to get the privileges they deserved, to be left off the list when there were any activities going. There would be ostracism, loneliness, exclusion. It would be tougher for us, I am sure of that. We’d suffer more.
Best advice I can offer… don’t get done for anything! I’ve never even had a parking ticket.
John David Walker
August 13, 2013
It is clear that deaf prisoners have a harder time. Hearing prisoners have access to activities that could lead to being released early on good behaviour. Deaf people are more likely to live out their full sentence because they are unable to access these activities. What is interesting to me is that the Judge thought the best way to resolve the issue is not to improve the prison services but to reduce the sentence – it doesn’t quite fit with the equality act, does it?
Simeon Hart
August 13, 2013
Well if the prison service has no provision for deaf prisoners so reduced sentence may be wise. In principle, the government should consider about this if they want deaf prisoners to be equal as hearing prisoners then the prison service should provide support such as they learn BSL, tv with subtitles cos hearing prisoners can hear radio in the cell. It is something that BDA should campaign on this to improve deaf prisoners’ life in prison.
breishy
August 13, 2013
At the end of the day, if you are guilty of the crime, you should pay the time. Deaf people are no different from hearing people in this respect. Prisons should make themselves more accessible for deaf people. Reducing prison sentences is not the solution. It just gives criminals an opportunity to play the deaf card which is disgusting in this context. Being deaf didn’t stop this guy raping that poor woman.
Robert Mandara
August 13, 2013
I fully agree with breishy. Having said that, I think we need to be careful with words. Making prison more accessible makes it sound like we’re all wanting to get in there!
Kate Matthews
August 13, 2013
At the end of the day, he still raped a young woman.
Andy. Not him, me.
August 13, 2013
The basic principle of Justice is that nobody should be punished more than their crime deserves. I think that prison is more of a punishment for deaf than hearing people.
deafnotdaft
August 13, 2013
What we need is a prison-wing in the UK specifically for deaf convicts. This solution would appear to tick all the boxes.
Robert Mandara
August 13, 2013
That wouldn’t be fair for the nearest and dearest though would it? Even if the prison was in the middle of the country, that would mean massive journeys for visiting.
Andy. Not him, me.
August 13, 2013
In my day, it was called Boarding School.
Done my time, thank you.
Tim
August 13, 2013
I would be very reluctant to endorse prison for anybody, especially in the Banana Republic UK with its system of kangaroo courts there to bash the poor and suck up to the rich.
However, prison is suitable for those who harm others physically and therefore this guy belongs there.
But Andy is right, nobody should be punished proportionately more than others. Simpletons will try to argue that equality means treating everybody the same and while that might do very well in their black-and white-world, it will not do in the real world. Genuine equality means treating people differently to take account of their circumstances.
Chad- Yes, that guy.
August 13, 2013
I have taken note of the comments above- and you’re correct, nobody should be punished disproportionately for a crime they have committed. And prison most certainly is there to rehabilitate and show people the error of their ways.
But does time off for a disability really sound like justice? Time off for a disability, Is that on top of a 3rd off for an early plea of guilty? There are ways and means of making adaptations for people with communication barriers in the prison system whether they are a BSL user or not. So why on earth would anyone consider releasing an offender early when there are avenues of rehabilitation available- or is this another example of ridiculous sentencing by an out of touch judge. There has been one serious sentence been handed out – but that has been to the woman who has been raped- does she get time off for her “disability”?
Why don’t we take into consideration, the rights of the victim, who in this case has had hers violated by not only a criminal, but the system that is there to protect her.
John
August 13, 2013
The rapist should serve at least 6 years in prison regardless of whether he is hearing or deaf.
A crime has been committed here and the judge should have insisted that the prison service provide interpreters for rehabilitation rather than taking the easy option to reduce his sentence.
Playing the deaf card here is totally unacceptable.
Michelle
August 23, 2013
Being deaf myself I can understand that there might be challenges to being deaf in prison. HOWEVER being deaf did not stop him from raping that woman. He should be sent to a prison that has services for the deaf, or provided an interpreter during activities. Also, he should get a lot more than 6 years for rape. In a perfect world, rapists would be cut off from any ability to repeat their crimes, if you know what I mean.
David Jonsson
November 28, 2013
yes. without services and programs in sign language, the prison sentence is harder. so the quantification should be based on hardship of time served, not duration of time. because it is harder to be Deaf in prison, therefore, sentences should be shorter.
Noel P Scott
November 28, 2013
Agree with Deafnotdaft’s comment deaf wing could help each other to improving for their need. They should be learn British Law and social skill to developement.