Effective Communication

Effective Communication

James A. Coburn

CJA/304 Interpersonal Communication

August 28, 2012

Pam Simek, Instructor

Effective Communication

In the criminal justice system, effective communication is requiring to interact with individuals. The verbal and nonverbal forms of communication require skills to perform the necessary duties in the effective communication. The verbal communication is the ability to interact with one or two individuals. The verbal communication can be described by speaking in the public, calling for help from another law officer, and giving the information to another individual. The nonverbal communication is the ability to summarize an event on reports. They are written communications which is required by the law enforcement officers to be detail on the events. Just like verbal communication, the nonverbal has to be clear and detail to understand the event. An example of verbal communication is the law enforcement officers discussing the events that took place at an arrest. An example of nonverbal communication is the law enforcement officer providing a written detail summary of the arrest. “Oral communication is the foundation on which written skills are built” (Wallace & Roberson, p.14, 2009).

The differences between listening and hearing are how the communication is received. Hearing is the eardrums receiving sounds and this is a physical form of communication. As the eardrums receive the sounds, the individual’s listening skills are being active to submit information to the brain. “Effective listening requires an environment and training that are conductive to concentration” (Wallace & Roberson, p.51, 2009).

In the criminal justice system, the channels of communication can be formal and informal in the effective communication process. The formal communication is the part of how the law enforcement officers use the channel of command throughout the agencies. The example of formal channel is the SOPs, regulations in the department, and the department memos or letters. The informal channel of communication is the method of unauthorized communication in the agency. The example of informal communication can be agency gossip inside the departments. The formal and informal channels have many effects in the law enforcement agency and the way they are displayed is the key to effective communication.” Formal and informal channels of communication provide the means or avenues for the movement of information within a police department” (Wallace & Roberson, p.19, 2009).

In effective communication, there are many different barriers to process in communication. There are four types of barriers, emotional