A proper accreditation system, run by an official body which is recognised by government and fostered by relevant authorities would eliminate many of the problems, but not all. Consumer education is an area which has to be tackled, not only for the protection of professional practitioners who are fully accredited but also for the good of the users of those services.
Professional indemnity assurance to cover practitioners is also vital, particularly for those dealing with legal translating and interpreting.
There are nowadays university courses where you can graduate as an interpreter or translator. In my times, usually you had to have a degree in the target language, preferably some experience which was difficult to get and sit for accreditation examinations which were one-way into the target language and which were quite "painful". There were also examinations in two languages at lower level, not professional translating and interpreting but what was called "language aide". These were also difficult and the rate of success was quite low at all levels, in my times they were around 20%.
Most of the users of translating and interpreting services are totally unaware about the wide differences that can exist between a proper professional translating or interpreting job and an unqualified one. They also ignore the dangers that can exist in certain cases.
I worked in the profession many years ago and I even had to create an agency for fellow professionals as clients got used to my services and they had difficulties understanding that I could only function in certain languages. So I had to set up a business and get a team together and we happily worked together until I decided that I had done enough and that I wanted to enjoy life.
What Liset says about "passaparola" is right. The problem is that you can be inundated with work as it was my case in the past and it can become quite exhausting. Also, if you get involved with providing services to the Police and Justice Department you risk being called at 4:00 am because they have aprehended somebody who cannot speak the language..... I has happened to me..... This is why I opted for early retirement.
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