Proactive Action – A Positive Solution in the Continuing Saga of Digital Recording

Posted in: Electronic Recording

(Special thanks to the Deposition Reporters Association. They will post the following article in their January 2009 Newsletter.)

“You will find what you look for: good or evil, problems or solutions.” ~ John Marks Templeton

We are sure you recall that in February of 2008, the State of California was confronted with the worst budget crisis in the last 30 years.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office [LAO] suggested legislation to implement digital recording [DR] in California’s courtrooms.

The LAO used a 17-year-old pilot project conducted in limited jurisdictions as evidence that DR would save Californians money.  Using current, fact-based, and sourced information, we fought that suggestion and won the battle by one vote.

It would be nice if our three California associations could relax and enjoy the smell of victory for a time, but it appears Californians are confronted with a worse budget than before.  This means CSRs are confronted with yet another misguided suggestion from the LAO to implement digital recording.

What is the problem?  People with decision-making power are deciding our future and the future of our legal system based on out-dated misinformation.

What is the solution?  Educate yourself about today’s technology and know how to respond when confronted with questions/statements from interested parties. Share your knowledge with anyone who will listen.

The following questions/statements may sound familiar to you:

1. You still use those old machines?  With today’s technology, you would think they would record or computerize what you do.
2. Why don’t they just use tape recorders?  Wouldn’t that be cheaper?
3. They’re going to get rid of all of you with voice recognition, you know.
4. You should do something more challenging.  All you do is sit there and type?

If those questions/statements sound familiar, did you have difficulty responding appropriately?  I have to admit, I often had difficulty helping people understand why we are such an integral part of the legal system or the many challenging aspects of our intense profession.

After speaking with colleagues, it seems many of us have had the same difficulty, so COCRA has developed a 21-page report entitled, “The Certified Shorthand Reporter [CSR]-Preserving Access to Justice.”

This report gives you everything you need to know to respond appropriately when approached with difficult questions/statements.  Some other examples of what is covered in the report include the following:

1. The top ten reasons why we are the best at making an accurate record
2. What other technology is out there
   1. Speech recognition
   2. Digital recording equipment
   3. Analog audio recording equipment
   4. Video recording equipment
3. A professional and financial cost analysis
4. Data from other states comparing digital recording to certified shorthand reporting
5. Digital recording mishaps
   1. Picking up “private” conversations
   2. Mistrials caused by recording failures
   3. Verdicts overturned due to recording failures
6. “Inaudibles,” “untranslates,” and “unintelligibles” within digitally recorded transcripts from recent court cases
7. Current transcript rates among digital recording firms and our standard, official reporting rate, as mandated by law

The budget crisis will hurt many Californians.  If involved in the legal system, let’s make sure they at least have access to a cost effective, accurate, and verbatim record produced by a certified shorthand reporter.

Please contact Janice Scott at NoaScott@gmail.com for a copy of this report.  Your knowledge may help friends and relatives better understand your profession. Your knowledge may reach a key decision maker, helping him/her understand that CSRs, particularly realtime CSRs, are the leaders in global technology. Your knowledge is our power.

Thanks for your time.

THE COCRA TEAM

1. cocra fan
   December 2nd, 2008 at 8:48 am

   Yes, being able to talk about what you do is SO important. I saw the report. It really helps you know the current things going on with our profession and just how to talk about all the great things CSRs are capable of. Thanks, COCRA.