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INSPECTORATE OF PROSECUTION IN SCOTLAND
Thematic Report on Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal
Service's Response on Race Issues
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendation 1
That Crown Office begins to monitor and
evaluate use of Language Line as a tool to anticipate
changes in language needs.
Recommendation 2
All precognition staff should receive training on
working with interpreters.
Recommendation 3
That the performance of individual interpreters
should be monitored regularly. It may make sense that
this be carried out by the interpreting agencies
themselves.
Recommendation 4
That Crown Office, through WGIT raises and
takes forward with all criminal justice partners
training on the use of interpreters with consideration
being given to the development of a protocol on the use
of interpreters in court.
Recommendation 5
Revision of the code of conduct for interpreters:
at present the code instructs that an interpreter
should not enter into discussion with the witness other
than to confirm a language/dialect match, however,
witnesses are in an alien environment and it would be
helpful if that time spent confirming the match be
extended in order to pass vital information on to the
witness who may be at court for the best part of the
day.
Recommendation 6
That in any revision of the Lord Advocate's
Guidelines on reporting racist crime consideration be
given to suggesting that the use of child witnesses
under 16 to interpret for parents is inappropriate in
terms of both the interests of the child and in the
interests of the case.
Recommendation 7
That all interpreters involved in the criminal
justice process be vetted to the level of standard
disclosure.
Recommendation 8
We recommend that active analysis of applicants
for employment, training and promotion should be put in
place.
Recommendation 9
We recommend that active analysis of training
received by staff should be put in place.
Recommendation 10
We strongly recommend that publication of
monitoring data be taken forward at the very earliest
opportunity and we support the use of the COPFS website
as a forum via which to publish.
Recommendation 11
We would, however, recommend that the guidance
on the collection of race crime statistics be beefed up
to make it clear who is expected to read reports and
submit statistics.
Recommendation 12
That the Department heightens its public
profile, nationally and at local level.
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