Centralized Interpreting

1. Centralized Interpreting Presented by Matt Benefiel, Trial Court AdministratorNinth Judicial Circuit of Florida

2. Background

3. Staff • One Managing Court Interpreter • One Administrative Support Staff • Seven Spanish Court Interpreters

4. Workload FY 2007-08

5. Osceola CountyCourthouse12 courtrooms Orange CountyCourthouse43 courtrooms Orange CountyJail3 courtrooms Juvenile Justice Center6 Courtrooms 3 BranchCourthouses3 courtrooms Ninth Judicial CircuitCoverage 20 miles 3 miles 22 miles 6 miles 2,229Square Miles

6. Challenge Provide interpreter services for over 25,000 court hearings per year with eight staff interpreters, a hiring freeze and, a declining contractual services budget. Provide interpreter services each day for sixty-seven courtrooms located in seven court facilities spread out among two counties covering 2,229 square miles.

7. Solution

8. Centralized Interpreting Provide on-demand interpreter services to multiple court facilities located throughout the Ninth Judicial Circuit from a single location Facts • Designed, installed, and supported by the Ninth Judicial Circuit • Went “live” in October of 2007 • Six remote workstations located in the Orange County Courthouse • Current coverage includes: • Osceola County Courthouse - County arraignments • Juvenile Justice Center - Dependency and delinquency hearings • Orange County Jail Courtrooms – IAs, arraignments, and VOPs • Future coverage (2nd quarter of 2009) to include: • Orange County Courthouse - Domestic violence hearings • Three Branch Courthouses - Traffic and misdemeanor cases

9. Technical Requirements Workstation • Pentium Dual Core computer • Network connectivity • Audio • Video • Dual 17”-19” monitors • Touch tone phone - analog

11. Technical Requirements Courtroom • Audio Mixer - Biamp Flex • 12 microphone inputs • Telephone interface card w/2 inputs • Interpreting • Video conferencing • Video Camera • Security camera on network • Headphones - Telex • 3 per courtroom • Podium/Witness stand (1) • Attorney tables – (2) • Bleach wipes

14. Operation Key Components • The workstations of each of the six staff interpreters located in the Orange County Courthouse are fully configured to provide remote interpreting services. • The interpreter can view any courtroom in the Circuit from their computer. • The interpreter can control the audio in any courtroom in the Circuit from their computer and/or touch tone telephone. • An extra workstation exists for contract interpreters to provide remote interpreting services. • 90% of the hearings requiring remote services are scheduled in advance. • An on-call staff interpreter covers weekend initial appearances from home through a touch tone phone.

16. Budget Courtroom * Previously installed for centralized court reporting

17. Budget Workstation * Previously installed per standard workstation configuration

18. Benefits

19. Savings • Reduces the need for contract interpreters • Contract interpreters earn $45-55 per hour with a two hour guarantee • Reduces travel for staff interpreters • Travel to cover a five minute hearing routinely requires 1-4 hours • More efficient use of contract interpreters • A single contract interpreter can provide service to multiple locations. • Since January 1, 2008 - 16% reduction in contractual interpreter service expenditures • The reduction occurred while the Circuit was under a hiring freeze • Demand services rose during the same time period

20. Future • Expand coverage to include: • Branch Courthouses (3) • Orange County Courthouse – DV Courtrooms • VPN web access to courtroom video monitoring • Security issues • Expand to include multiple Circuits • Compatible configurations • Operational issues

21. ? Resources • Video Demonstration – DVD and/or website • Ninth Judicial Circuit website – www.ninthcircuit.org • Tours and “Live” Demonstrations