Court reporters work in a profession that presents an interesting dichotomy. Many people see them as the old and traditional human component of a courtroom, typing away diligently so that every word that’s uttered can be properly put on the record. Others see them as almost a new way of creating a record, as using actual humans is something that is simply not nearly as common as it used to be. The Age of Technology has made it possible to record words in a courtroom, although many different studies and analyses have shown that there are generally more accuracy problems with these approaches than with human court reporters.
The point is that few people outside the profession really seem to understand where the world of court reporting could be headed. Different studies have been published that reveal that within four – five years, there could be a national shortage of court reporters. That’s likely due to the fact that there aren’t that many people who are entering the profession. According to some statistics included in a report that was recently released, it could also be due to the fact that existing court reporters are getting older and could soon be retiring in large numbers.
Recently, the National Court Reporters Association, or the NCRA, released a report that took a long look at projections related to the court reporter industry. The report analyzed several different statistics and found the following:
- The average age of a working individual in the United States is 42 years old.
- The median age in the court reporting industry is 51 years old.
- Seventy percent of all current court reporters are at least 46 years old.
- 70 percent of current court reporters will most likely retire within the next 20 years.
- More than 5,000 court reporters will retire within the next five years.
What These Statistics Mean
These statistics should tell anyone who sees them a few things immediately:
- The demand for human court reporters is going to rise quickly in the United States.
- Those who need court reporters need to work with experienced firms that have earned positive reputations.
- Intelligent, hard-working young people looking for a profession should consider becoming a court reporter.
- Court reporting firms will need to work to avoid the temptation to make hurried hires in the next few years as demand grows.
The Georgia court reporters at Elizabeth Gallo Court Reporting, LLC have always kept a close eye on industry trends and developments. We understand where the world of court reporting is headed and we are staying ahead of the game so that we never have to compromise our ideals or our product or service. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you, contact us today.
