‘Help is on the way’
(In)accessible policing in the UK through sign language interpreting
In the UK, police reforms to meet needs of a diverse society have been limited in the case of deaf signers to an
increase in sign language interpreting services (SLIS). This article explores the consequences of this dependence on SLIS by the
UK police. We consider how deaf signers’ contact with the police may be inaccessible, despite national frameworks that ‘guarantee’
accessibility through the provision of BSL-English interpreting. We draw on qualitative data from focus groups and interviews with
police officers and custody sergeants who describe their experiences of having contact with deaf signers (or other minority
language users) through interpreters. We examine and contrast their perceptions and experiences concerning if, when, and how SLIS
provided access, as well as its impact on their contact with deaf signers. We compare these findings with UK police reform
policies to identify the current state of these provisions along with potential divergences.
Article outline
- Introduction
- Access to policing
- Police reform, diversity and deaf signers
- Police perspectives on interpreting
- Methods
- Positionality
- Participants
- Process and procedure
- Analysis
- Results and discussion
- Understanding accommodation
- Obtaining accommodation
- Adapting routine procedures and practices
- Problematic accommodation
- Conclusion
- Notes
-
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