Scenario

You are working as an interpreter in the local high school. One day the police made a locker search and find the weapons in the locker of one of the Deaf students for whom you interpret. The principal calls you to the office and tells you to interpret for the police interrogation. 

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Identify the Problems

• You interpret in a local high school for deaf kids and the police are doing a weapons search where they find a weapon in the locker of a deaf student you interpret for

• The principal calls you into his office and asks you to interpret for the interrogation

 

Consider the options 

• Interpreter could accept the assignment and interpret for the interrogation

• Interpreter could request support to have another interpreter team with them

• Interpreter could politely decline and explain their reasoning why

• Interpreter could suggest another interpreter is called in instead to avoid issues

• Interpreter could say that they are not qualified to interpret for law situations 

 

Interpreter should: Politely decline the assignment and suggest that another interpreter is brought in to interpret for the good of the case and student to avoid any possible conflicts of interest and provide a name of an agency or freelance interpreter who is qualified. 

 

Which CPC's Support Your Decision?

 

2.5 Refrain from providing counsel, advice, or personal opinions

This applies because you backed up your reasoning for declining the assignment with facts and not your personal opinion of the student or allowing there to be a point where the cops asked you for your personal opinion.

 

2.6 Judiciously provide referral to community resources

By suggesting another interpreter, you have given them another reliable resource to find a qualified interpreter. 

 

3.8 Avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest

This applies because interpreting for the student you interpret for in the classroom and your relationship with the student could interfere with any legal interpreting and what the student wants to say around you during the interpretation. 

 

4.2 Approach consumers with a professional demeanor at all times

This applies because by denying the assignment you are showing respect to your deaf client and their need to have an interpreter who is not also their classroom interpreter and providing a situation where they feel comfortable with a neutral interpreter. 

 

6.1 Accurately represent qualifications

If the interpreter is not trained for legal interpreting, then they are accurately displaying the fact that they are not qualified for the job and need another interpreter. If they are qualified for legal interpreting, they are not qualified for this situation because of a conflict of interest. 

 

 

Short term benefits

Deaf consumer: They can go into the interview with an open mind about the interpreter and no feelings of conflicts of interest

Hearing consumer: knows they have an impartial interpreter for their legal interrogation

Interpreter: Did not put themselves in a place that could risk their credibility or their relationship with the clients

Interpreting community: another interpreter received work 

 

Long term benefits

Deaf Consumer: Can continue to work with the educational interpreter without fear from their class interpreter knowing things from the interview or feeling uncomfortable with their knowledge of another situation. 

Hearing consumer: No mistrial or problems with the case due to a conflict of interest 

Interpreter: Did not lose certification or have a problem with breaking CPC’s. Can avoid being asked to do this again by the school in the future. 

Interpreting Community: This school now knows a policy on this situation and has a way to contact more interpreters if needed. 

 

 

Closing Statement

If I were the interpreter in this situation, my answer may change if I was given new or different information, but I will always uphold tenets of the CPC. 

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Scenario pulled from

Humphries, J. H. (2013). Decisions? Decisions?!: A practical guide for sign Language professionals (p. 127). N.p.: H&H Publishers.