This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Across the nation, there is a serious need to recruit court interpreters (in all languages, including American Sign Language) to ensure a suffi- cient supply in the future as existing interpreters retire, and the demand for fair representa- tion in the court system increas- es. The need is particularly urgent in states with large mul- ticultural populations like California. LA City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has said that inter- preters “are indispensible in a city like Los Angeles and that the shortage can cause delays in the system.” Currently, approximately 40 percent of California’s population speaks a language other than English in the home, and roughly 20 percent of Californians speak English less than “very well.” These figures are expected to increase as the state’s foreign-born population continues growing, thereby further increasing the need for court interpreters. “Every day, courts are involved in the most critical aspects of individuals’ lives — child custody, civil rights, landlord/tenant dis- putes, criminal cases, business cases, tort claims, conservatorships, and probate. What happens in court may decide where an individ- ual resides, who will have custody of his or her children, whether a person is sent to prison, or whether there will be redress for discrimina- tion based on race, eth- nicity, gender, disability, religion, or sexual orien- tation. With growing numbers of Californians coming to the courts not conversant in the English language, unfa-


miliar with the American system of justice, or unable to afford coun- sel, it has become increasingly apparent that our court system must reach out to those we serve to find out more about their needs, and to respond to those needs when we can,” says California Chief Justice Ronald M. George. George also chairs the Judicial Council, the constitutionally created entity charged with oversight of the statewide administration of justice. The Judicial Council working with the Administrative Office the Courts recently launched a major recruiting effort throughout the State. This is just one of the important ways they are reaching out to minorities. There are many other ways that the courts are reaching out to all members of the diverse public they serve. This includes making forms available in several languages, hiring a diverse work force so that even the clerk’s office (often the first con- tact for members of the public) better reflects the community’s make-up, conducting studies, or by offering programs and resources in different languages to assist self-represented litigants, and in sev- eral other ways (see sidebar). The recruitment of interpreters is an integral part of the effort. George urges potential interpreters to pursue this career saying, “One of the Judicial Council’s priorities is to provide a qualified interpreter for all those who need one, and you can help make that goal a reality.”


S A L U D O S H I S P A N O S


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104