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Police and courts in the UK require interpreters in over 100 languages paired with English every day. Legal interpreters are an essential part of the justice system, and their efficient integration into legal proceedings is crucial to ensuring fairness and efficiency of justice. Current problems with the outsourcing of court interpreting services by the Ministry of Justice and the recent cuts to legal aid have increased the need for cost-efficient and viable solutions for legal interpreting.
Surrey's research investigated the quality and viability of `remote interpreting' in legal proceedings, delivered via videoconference, as an alternative to traditional onsite delivery. The findings were used to develop good practice guidelines, consultancy and training. The training was customised for the Metropolitan Police and delivered to over ca. 700 legal interpreters across Europe between 2009 and 2013. The guidelines were adopted as European-wide by the European Council Working Party on e-Justice in 2012.
This case study reports on two projects in the field of public service interpreting and translation:
1) Supporting third sector organisations in providing assistance to non-UK nationals through a volunteer trainee community interpreter engagement project, developed in partnership with voluntary and community sector service providers.
2) Improving understanding of the ethical issues confronted in interpreting practice in welfare service delivery settings, through research on professional inter-cultures, obtained between service providers and interpreters in welfare service delivery.
This impact case study demonstrates Phil Scraton's leadership, management and direction of the Hillsborough Independent Panel (HIP) research team and his primary authorship of the HIP Report (see below) triggering: immediate public apology from the Prime Minister; new criminal investigation into corporate bodies and senior personnel involved; unprecedented inquiry by the Independent Police Complaints Commission into policing and into the initial police investigation; quashing of the inquest verdicts, and initiation of new inquests; national review of emergency responses to disasters — ambulance services, hospitals, pathology. Awarded the QUB Vice-Chancellor's award for research impact, Scraton has been short-listed for the THES `Research Project of the Year' for this same work.
Research conducted in 2006-13 on the role of third sector organisations (TSOs) in delivering public services in Scotland has shaped public policy, improved the management/impact of TSOs in delivering public services, and influenced public opinion on the role of TSOs. This has been achieved through research for the Scottish Government and the ESRC, input into the Christie Commission on public services reform, and by affecting the management of TSOs in Scotland through training events and through Osborne's role as Vice-Chair of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). It has also had an international impact, including in Denmark and Australia.