Lanny Steptoe lives his life in silence.

He’s deaf and communicates with his hands.

Even with an interpreter, confusion is common.

It is that same confusion, he claims, that led to his arrest last year on a bogus check charge.

Police booked Steptoe into the Harris County Jail.

www.hcso.hctx photo

This is an outside image of the Harris County Jail.

That’s where this man’s life got even more complicated. 

“I didn’t know if my family got the messages or not,” said Steptoe through an interpreter.

Steptoe claims he couldn’t call his family because the jail has older text phones.

The devices are reportedly incompatible with new video phones. 

Reports indicate those video phones are now more widely used by the deaf.

And other inmates, 11 News discovered, suffer the same problem.

“Right now the technology is set up for most for deaf people to call a hearing person to get in touch with their deaf family members.  And that’s not equal access,” said Detra Stewart a deaf and heard of hearing specialist.

“We are looking into some new technology for the deaf and hard of hearing that would include some video phones,” said David Crain with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Harris County Jail officials say they could soon move away from the older technology.

And give the deaf a new way to communicate in jail.

Steptoe says that will be a huge help, especially for a man who lives his life in silence.