Exercise 4: Language Barriers
Equal justice depends on everyone’s ability to understand what is happening in court and in court-adjacent settings, regardless of what language they speak.
Limited English Proficient (“LEP”) individuals are those “who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English. These individuals may be entitled [to] language assistance with respect to a particular type of service, benefit, or encounter.”
Question 1.
Gut check: Without researching, what percentage of the U.S. population speaks a language other than English at home in the United States?
Question 2.
Without researching, estimate the percentage of language speakers who speak English less than “very well” in your jurisdiction for each language group below. Enter your estimate in the chart. After entering your predictions, use the United States Census Bureau: Languages Spoken at Home interactive map to explore the languages spoken in your jurisdiction and complete the corresponding column.
