The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1077738
The cross-party group heard about an important project on transnational crime and translation Inside parliament At its final meeting of 2018, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages heard from a fascinating initiative: the Transnational Organised Crime and Translation (TOCAT) project. Dr Joanna Drugan, from the University of East Anglia, who leads the research, was joined by Jenni Heggs of Leicestershire Police and Jo Taylor of the College of Policing. There is a huge rise in transnational organised crime across the world, driven by factors such as free trade, the internet and the dark net. The UN's map of the main flow of this criminal activity (above) shows that "this is a linguists' problem"; for example, the routes for counterfeit drug can pass through China, Russia and Europe before arriving in the UK. Crime is increasingly organised by crime 'networks', whose members communicate across multiple languages. A UK police force can therefore be dealing with records or text messages in many different languages and dialects, often including a lot of slang. The scale of the problem is huge and growing. Taylor and Heggs were approached about working towards changing existing cross-border guidance. With Drugan joining as the research lead, the TOCAT project began. The research enabled the team to identify what could be done to improve the evidence-based approaches of the College of Policing. Until recently, for example, there were no contracts or procurement services for translation in the police force. Translators were sourced relatively informally and there was an inconsistent charging structure. There was therefore a need to professionalise the procurement to ensure consistency, efficiency and value for money. There are now nine (broadly regional) contracts and a working group, chaired by Heggs, which looks at the factors that affect the front line. Guidance has been published, and the police are working on improving their practices and continuous professional development (CPD). The challenge is to keep testing, learning and adapting. There is now a greater awareness of language issues. As Heggs explained, the police "just can't do their jobs without linguists, especially in complex cases" such as terrorism. The ensuing discussion, involving parliamentarians and civil servants working in areas such as the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office, enabled a useful comparison of practices across different departments. 6 The Linguist Vol/58 No/1 2019 ciol.org.uk/tl NEWS & EDITORIAL Q What does Routes do? A We run theatre and mentoring workshops for women asylum seekers and refugees, with the purpose of developing their language skills and confidence. This provides an opportunity for people who are shut out of mainstream Esol (English for speakers of other languages) for a number of reasons – from childcare to cultural barriers around mixed gender classes. Q Where did the idea come from? A I met co-Founder Leyla McLennan in 2017 on the social enterprise programme Year Here. I knew that I wanted to work with asylum seekers in the UK, and that not being able to speak English can lead to poor mental health, as it's incredibly disempowering and isolating. I'd seen great organisations that were dependent on funding and volunteers, and I was determined to create something more sustainable. We realised that if we were going to come up with a sustainable solution, we had to draw on something that gave us hope and energy – and, for us, that was theatre. Q What is your background? A I studied French and Drama at university. I also speak Spanish and am learning Arabic. I've worked with young people in the UK, using theatre to promote social inclusion and build confidence; and with asylum seekers in Athens and Calais, using theatre to help them practise their French or English. Leyla had been working as a theatre producer, using theatre as a way of empowering women. Q How did you get started? A We launched our three-month programme of theatre workshops in November 2017. A lot of participants also wanted to connect with women who were more settled in the UK, so now they are all paired with a female mentor. Daisy Jacobs, Routes based English lessons Heroine Cocaine Firearms People smuggling Trafficked women Counterfeit goods Counterfeit medicine Piracy Wildlife Timber Gold Cassiterite Key Philip Harding-Esch works on behalf of the British Council to support the APPG on Modern Languages. TL UNODC