Legal Interpreters in the Investigation of Criminal Cases: Types of Professional Behavior and Social Practices

The article presents the results of a study of professional activities of interpreters in the process of investigation of criminal cases involving migrants from post-Soviet states in today’s Russia. The author relies on Pierre Bourdieu’s general sociological theory and his analysis of the juridical field. The empirical research methods that have been used in the study include semi-structured interviews. The peculiarities of formal and informal interaction of interpreters with the sides involved in the process of investigation are revealed in the article. A classification of types of professional behavior of legal interpreters is proposed. It has been found that the type of professional behavior adopted by an interpreter is defined first of all by his/her level of education, legal status and also social characteristics. The article singles out the models of behavior of interpreters which depend on the size of a diaspora, the degree of ethnic solidarity and the density of social ties. Since legal interpreting is included into asymmetrical power relations within the juridical field, special attention in the study has been devoted to revealing the strategies and tactics used by interpreters and jurists. It is demonstrated in the article that the current structure of the juridical field predetermines reproduction of a homologous system of stratification of the interpreters’ community.

Keywords

sociology of law, juridical field, law enforcement bodies, migrants, legal interpreters, types of professional behavior

Received

24.02.2021

Publication date

25.03.2021

Number of characters

33299

Cite

GOST	Maslovskaya E. Legal Interpreters in the Investigation of Criminal Cases: Types of Professional Behavior and Social Practices // Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya – 2021. – Issue 2 C. 39-48 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/socis/s013216250012811-5-1-en (circulation date: 24.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S013216250012811-5
MLA	Maslovskaya, Elena V "Legal Interpreters in the Investigation of Criminal Cases: Types of Professional Behavior and Social Practices." Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya 2 (2021):39-48. DOI: 10.31857/S013216250012811-5
APA	Maslovskaya E. (2021). Legal Interpreters in the Investigation of Criminal Cases: Types of Professional Behavior and Social Practices. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya (2), pp.39-48 DOI: 10.31857/S013216250012811-5

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