Most Continually Growing Needs

When asked which areas they have the most continually growing need, 90% of the jurisdictions answered that it was languages.  The number and diversity of languages continues to increase, thereby increasing the demand for language services.  The second highest need is in providing language assistance at points outside of the courtroom, including the clerk’s office, self-help centers, court managed or operated programs such as Domestic Violence, and mediation.  Over half of the respondents stated that the demand on court personnel has the most growing need. 

In addition to the listing above in figure Q39, jurisdictions identified several other specific needs:

• Funding
• Translation of documents
• We are seeing a growing demand for translation services.
• Document translation as well as website translation is needed so that more pro se LEP parties can access court programs and services
• On-demand sign language.
• Use of ASL at counters and informal settings.
• Distribution geographically of interpreters statewide where needed
• Building sufficient pool of interpreters in high demand languages, particularly Pacific Islander languages (i.e., Chuukese, Marshallese) and ensuring quality/competency of language interpreter services.
• Providing language access outside more metropolitan areas. Our rural areas have increasing numbers of LEP individuals interacting with courts and probation services, but interpreters are scarce in those regions.
• With the increase in awareness about appropriate language access due to our training and outreach, we now receive more complaints, which requires more staff time to investigate and reach resolution. 

Go to next section.