NCJ Number
18034
Date Published
Unknown
Length
42 pages
Annotation
THE GOAL OF THIS TASK FORCE WAS TO PROVIDE FOR COMPETENT LANGUAGE SERVICES FOR NON-ENGLISH-SPEAKING AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE HANDICAPPED PERSONS, THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERPRETER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
Abstract
TASK FORCE OBJECTIVES WERE TO ESTABLISH THE FOLLOWING: LEGAL BASIS FOR THE RIGHT TO INTERPRETATION; PROCESS POINTS THROUGHOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM; LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETENT INTERPRETER SERVICES; AND BASIS FOR DETERMINING THE RIGHT TO INTERPRETATION AT STATE EXPENSE. CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS TO APPOINTED INTERPRETERS WERE ALSO TO BE DEVELOPED. THIS REPORT GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM (THE COMPETENCY AND AVAILABILITY OF INTERPRETER SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH LANGUAGE HANDICAPS, AND OUTLINES THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATIONALE OF THE SPECIAL PRETRIAL, TRIAL, ADMINISTRATION, AND LANGUAGE GROUPS. STANDARDS OF LANGUAGE SKILLS ARE SUGGESTED FOR DIFFERENT BILINGUALIST AND INTERPRETER LEVELS, AND A TRAINING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE NEEDED TRAINING FOR EACH LEVEL OF INTERPRETER ACCORDING TO THE STEPS AND STAGES OF THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, IS OUTLINED IN CHART FORM. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A LIST OF TASK FORCE PARTICIPANTS.