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Philadelphia Court Interpreter Services Study National Center for State Courts February 15, 1995 |
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Recommendations |
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I. Study Background and Objectives II. Qualifications of the Court's Salaried Spanish Language Interpreters Candidates for vacant positions in the future should be required to take and pass a test similar to the New Jersey test of interpreting proficiency. Position descriptions should be revised to reflect this requirement. Interpreters who scored in the "critical range" (60-69%) should continue to improve their skills and be retested in twelve months. The court should implement a differential salary structure to distinguish between interpreters who have achieved the recommended minimum proficiency score on the proficiency test and those who have not. The court should periodically tape record interpreters during court proceedings, including both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting. These tapes should be reviewed by the supervising interpreter and the staff interpreter as part of a performance monitoring program. Peer review and discussion of taped sessions is also recommended. Interpreters should conduct periodic study and practice sessions during the late afternoon (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly or at least monthly). III. Classification and Compensation of Salaried Interpreters Revised position descriptions should be prepared for the court's salaried interpreters. A plan to increase the salaries of court interpreters to levels at least equivalent to salaries of court reporters should be implemented as soon as possible. IV. Assessing / Improving the Quality of Per Diem Interpreter Services The court should consider using salaried interpreters for Korean and Vietnamese language cases, full- or part-time. The court should explore the feasibility of contracting directly with two individuals (per language) for services in Cambodian and Cantonese language cases. Management of per diem interpreter services should be located in an Office of Interpreter Services (0IS) to increase the opportunity for evaluation and training of the interpreters. Each new interpreter referred to the court by an interpreter agency should complete a qualifications assessment questionnaire and be interviewed by the supervising interpreter or another staff interpreter prior to her or his first assignment. The court should exercise the right to conduct a substantial skills assessment interview for any interpreter as an apparent need and opportunity arises. V. Program Organization and Administration The court should establish an Office of Interpreter Services (0IS) to provide services to all of the divisions of the Common Pleas and Municipal courts. Management oversight of the OIS should be the responsibility of the Office of the district Executive Administrator. The OIS should be responsible for recruiting, scheduling and monitoring the performance of all per diem interpreters. The supervising interpreter should be responsible for determination and administration of professional issues and oversight of daily operations, including those involving contract interpreters. A senior operations manager or court analyst, attached to the Office of the Executive Administrator as per Recommendation 12, should be placed in charge of the OIS, with responsibility for the following: · supervision and evaluation of the supervising interpreter; formulation of off ice policy; · design of program management data collection procedures and evaluation of program data; and · negotiations with contract interpreter firms regarding issues of quality, as well as cost The OIS should maintain and regularly analyze and report data related to Interpreter use and service costs. Free lance and contract interpreters should be required to present themselves to a court officer when they appear for an assignment, and the court officer should be required to complete a signed service verification form that includes: · case number · language · date · check-in time · dismissal time · case outcome. VI. Recommendations Relating to Court Rules and Judges The court should adopt a rule of court to establish a Code of Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters. Unless free lance or contract interpreters have been screened and approved by the OIS prior to assignment to a court, the courtroom judge should conduct a qualifying voir dire for all per diem interpreters in at least all of the following circumstances: · guilty pleas; · sentencing hearings; and · evidentiary proceedings. The court should consider the feasibility of establishing special scheduling practices for interpreted cases. VII. Document Translation Requests for official translations of forms and documents made by judges or administrators should be directed only to the supervisor of OIS, rather than to individual interpreters. A log of all requests for document translations should be maintained in the OIS, including: · Request date · Document identification (form #, name, etc.) · Requesting official · Name of assigned primary translator and reviewing translator(s) · Completion date All bilingual signs or other notices posted in the court facilities should be prepared or reviewed by the OIS. VIII. Concluding Summary of Recommendations
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