Behind a Wall of Silence: Interpreters and Detainee Vulnerability in Britain’s Immigration Detention Estate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37536/FITISPos-IJ.2019.6.1.193Keywords:
Immigration detention, Quality, Telephone interpreting, Ad hoc interpreting. / Detención de inmigrantes, Calidad, Interpretación telefónica, Interpretación de enlace.Abstract
Abstract: Immigration detention, a form of administrative detention, is used increasingly by states as a form of migration control. The United Kingdom has one of the largest immigration detention estates in Europe. Spoken foreign language interpreting provision in such facilities is often found to be lacking or inadequate. Former Prison Ombudsman Stephen Shaw’s critical 2016 review into immigration detention made vital recommendations on various aspects of detainee welfare, including interpreting provision. Shaw’s follow-up report in 2018 noted that interpreting services had improved and were more widely available but that in many cases interpreters were unqualified and that quality remains poor. Based on the limited literature available, this paper will review the current provision of interpreting services in the immigration detention estate, the changes reported between Stephen Shaw’s 2016 and 2018 reports and make suggestions for improvements to the service.
Resumen: La sociedad europea actual es cada vez más diversa, lo que desencadena toda clase de retos e inquietudes acerca del nivel en el que personas con distintos orígenes pueden integrarse en la sociedad. El acceso a los servicios públicos es un elemento clave en este proceso, ya que precisamente en estas instalaciones se responden ante las necesidades básicas de los ciudadanos y se garantiza que puedan ejercer sus derechos civiles. Las barreras lingüísticas con frecuencia plantean muros insuperables a la hora de proporcionar servicios en áreas básicas, como la sanidad, la asistencia social y la educación. Deben desarrollarse marcos legislativos tanto a nivel supranacional como nacional para establecer el derecho a una traducción e interpretación eficiente en los servicios públicos y, de forma más general, marcos políticos destinados a garantizar una comunicación efectiva para todo aquel que recurra a un servicio público.
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