This report concerns the use of foreign language interpreters in the judiciary, asylum and healthcare systems.
The purpose of the study is to assess whether the effort made by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, the Ministry of Health and the regions has been sufficient to ensure that interpreter services are used in a satisfactory manner. The report answers the following questions:
- Have the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, the Ministry of Health and the regions established a framework that supports the provision of interpreter services of satisfactory quality?
- Are the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, the Ministry of Health and the regions supporting public officials in meeting their obligation and ensuring that citizens and foreigners understand, and are understood by, the authorities?
It is Rigsrevisionen's assessment that the effort made by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Immigration and Integration, the Ministry of Health and the regions is not sufficiently ensuring that interpreter services are used in a satisfactory manner. Rigsrevisionen has established that safeguarding interpreter services of satisfactory quality is a challenge in the judiciary, asylum and healthcare systems, irrespective of whether the public officials book and use interpreters from the list managed by the Danish National Police, from interpreter agencies, or use independent interpreters.
Rigsrevisionen initiated the study in April 2017.
Read the 1st chapter of the report (PDF)