Translating recordings of inmates' phone conversations

[NicoRam]

Hi! I'm a sworn translator but NOT A US CITIZEN and I DON'T LIVE IN THE US.
I've recently been offered a job which (if I accept) would require me to transcribe the recordings of inmates' phone conversations and translate into English those in which my native tongue is being spoken.
The translation agency offering me the job is a California-based company.
Is this legal?

 

[CavemanLawyer]

Yes its legal. Per United States Supreme Court law prisoners have very limited expectation of privacy when incarcerated. Generally speaking prison authorities can do any search they want as long as it is considered reasonable. Its more than reasonable to record and "search" phone calls made through the prison's phones, and as a general rule they always include a warning at the beginning that the call is being recorded.

The big exception to phone calls is if they are speaking with their attorney. Different prisons are going to have different ways of screening those types of calls so they aren't listened to. If you take the job they likely would give you instructions on what to do if you realize you are listening to a privileged attorney-client phone call.

 

[FlyingRon]

It's unlikely that you'll get a privileged call anyhow. To get to the point where privilege applies the attorney has to show that they have an actual attorney-client relationship (the fact that they are an attorney is NOT sufficient). No attorney worth a darn in a criminal matter is going to allow a conversation to ensue without being sure that they are doing so in a manner that makes it clear that the privilege and privacy apply.