Biggs, Julian Glascock, Baylis

Description

Maria Sanchez, Father Pickett of St. Michael’s Church, and Tito Santiago, a provider of legal aid for the city of Hartford, discuss issues Puerto Rican residents face with translators in the court system. They are sitting in Maria Sanchez’s bodega (corner store) as they discuss the issues. One of the main issues they discuss is the practice of hiring Spanish-speaking translators solely on the basis of the degrees they hold. Since most translators are not Puerto Rican themselves, it is difficult for them to translate court language and formal Spanish as spoken in Spain into the common spoken Spanish of Puerto Ricans living in cities such as Hartford, where many have only completed an eighth- grade education at best. The resulting miscommunication often leads to defendants’ misunderstanding their options; they may say that they are guilty because they do not know any better or cannot see alternatives. Because translators may not be from the community, they advise defendants in the easiest ways to move forward with the process instead of having the individual’s best interests at heart. Sanchez also explains that the educational requirements make it difficult for Puerto Ricans to work as translators. Many end up in manual jobs, such as working in the tobacco fields or washing dishes. More translators are needed as there are instances of their having to work on 25 cases in a day. Also, accusations have been made that translators request tips in exchange for doing more to support a case. Sanchez says that...

Record Contributed By

Hartford History Center, Hartford Public Library

Record Harvested From

Connecticut Digital Archive