ERIC Number: ED263228
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1985-Oct-28
Pages: 306
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Equal Access to the Courts for Linguistic Minorities: Final Report of the Task Force on Interpreter and Translation Services.
New Jersey Superior Court, Paterson.
This report concerns the adequacy and availability of services to linguistic minorities provided by the judiciary in New Jersey. The findings were as follows: (1) court interpreters generally do not possess required skills, knowledge, and training; (2) forms and documents are not translated by professionals, are not equal in quality to their English counterparts, and are not equally accessible to all linguistic minorities; (3) court support services are not provided by bilingual and bilingual/multicultural personnel with essential skills, knowledge and training; (4) procedures for establishing qualifications and training for personnel in these fields is inadequate; (5) there are no comprehensive guidelines for establishing policy on the conduct of interpreted court proceedings, payment responsibilities, and administration of these services; (6) a statutory basis exists for providing interpreting services for the deaf and hearing impaired, but not for other linguistic minorities; and (7) court personnel, attorneys, and others involved with the linguistic minorities are often insensitive in their communications with these people. It is recommended that (1) the Supreme Court prescribe personnel qualifications and a State Board or Supreme Court Board be established to monitor the interpreters and translators; (2) training centers be designated to educate individuals pursuing these careers; (3) a comprehensive statutory basis be established for linguistic minorities, modeled on existing provisions for the deaf; (4) standards be established to govern all phases of interpreted court proceedings; (5) policies be formed to attract sufficient and adequate personnel; (6) translations be done by approved legal translators; (7) a board of appeals be established to deal with cases of unprofessional conduct; and (8) law schools and courts provide training in dealing with linguistic minorities. (CG)
Descriptors: Counseling Services, Equal Protection, Interpersonal Communication, Interpreters, Interpretive Skills, Legal Aid, Legal Education, Limited English Speaking, Paraprofessional Personnel, State Courts
Administrative Office of the Courts, CN-037, Trenton, NJ 08625 (free).
Publication Type: Reports - General
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: New Jersey Superior Court, Paterson.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A