A Job Beyond Your Capabilities
You're a QA level 1 interpreter and your brother is a police officer. One night he calls you and begs you to come in and interpret for a Deaf man they just picked up for allegedly raping a girl. Your brother tells you they tried all the interpreters on the list and no one else is available.
An Interpreter's Perspective
This scenario speaks to the need for discretion in accepting assignments. This is a legal situation and requires someone with skills in that field. Don't let others pressure you into taking the job by saying, "I'm sure you'll be fine" or "There's no one else." Your attempt to be accommodating could end up making things worse. Can you interpret the Miranda Warning accurately? What if the Deaf man confesses while you're there? The confession could be thrown out in court if you can't prove you have the proper interpreting credentials. However, don't just turn the job down. Help your brother get an appropriately skilled interpreter there as soon as possible using the resources in your area. If an interpreter isn't available now, find out when an interpreter would be available and give your brother that information.
A Deaf Consumer's Perspective
No one tries all the interpreters on the list and gets no one. That's nonsense. However, you could offer to call a couple of interpreters to assist in the search. Under no circumstances should you interpret for the arrested man. This could lead to dismissal of all charges due to inadequate access. Most interpreting agencies have at least one interpreter on call 24 hours a day for emergencies such as this. As a Deaf person myself, I would dismiss any Level 1 signer who chose to take this assignment, since it's in complete violation of the Code of Ethics in knowing your own professional boundaries and limitations. Level 1 signers are nowhere near the level of being able to interpret a situation like this.
NB - In Florida (USA) they conduct their own state screening tests of interpreters. ‘QA level 1’ is defined by them as entry level ability, which means the interpreter received and expressed 60% of the material presented during their evaluation. Under state guidance, this would be someone who was ‘completely able to handle situations in which there is an opportunity to stop a professional for clarification or repetition’.