NAJIT -- THE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION fOR INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS WORKING IN COURT AND LEGAL SETTINGS
The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) is a non-profit professional association founded in 1978, and dedicated to the mission of promoting quality services in the field of court and legal interpreting and translating. Our members play a critical role in assuring due process, equal protection and equal access for non-English or limited English proficient (LEP) individuals who interact with the judicial system.
NAJIT's members are bound by the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities promulgated by the Association to advance the highest quality language services in assisting all parties in the administration of justice.
Members are encouraged to continually upgrade their skills, and to share their knowledge and expertise with other members of the profession and allied professions involved in education and the justice system.
As of 2010, membership in the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators totals more than 1200 professionals, and includes practicing court and law enforcement interpreters and translators as well as attorneys, judges, Ph.D. linguists, educators, researchers, students, administrators, as well as managers of non-profit community language bureaus and for-profit language agencies. While most of our membership resides in the U.S, some members live and work in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Anyone with an interest in the field of legal and judicial interpreting and translating or who shares NAJIT's interests and objectives is welcome to join.
The purposes of the Association are:
- To promote professional standards of performance and integrity for court and legal interpreters and translators;
- To achieve wider recognition for the profession of judiciary interpreting and translating;
- To advocate policies for the training and certification of interpreters through competent and reliable methodologies;
- To advance the highest quality services provided by court and legal interpreters and translators;
- To encourage the exchange of ideas among court and legal interpreters and translators, educators, members of the judiciary, legal service providers, court administrators and other justice partners;
- To make the public, judicial officers, administrators of courts, and other legal or justice communities aware of the unique role and function of interpreters and translators in the legal system;
- To disseminate educational material on matters relating to judiciary interpreting and translating. To promote the general welfare of the profession of court and legal interpreting;
- To take positions on matters affecting the advancement and interest of the profession of court and legal interpreting as whole.
To achieve these objectives, NAJIT:
- Holds periodic meetings;
- Publishes a quarterly newsletter, Proteus, as well as glossaries, manuals, position papers, testimony, and other materials;
- Offers workshops and seminars for continued education and training;
- Provides educational opportunities to non-members in order to advance understanding of the profession;
- Sponsors presentations at local, regional and national meetings of other interpreter and translator associations and related language professionals;
- Assigns representatives to serve on local and national committees or advisory boards;
- Provides input on testing, policy and administration in the field of interpreting and translating;
- advocates for adequate working conditions and compensation for judiciary interpreters;
- Maintains an active website;
- Maintains a listserve for members; and
- Conducts other activities designed to promote the general welfare of the association and its members.