Thematic report on Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service's response on race issues

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.