Free Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

In:

Submitted By cwhite72177
Words 1484
Pages 6
Barriers to Effective 1

Barriers to Effective Communication
Cyndi White
CJA/304
October 31, 2011
Stewart Stanfield

Barrier to Effective 2
The process of communication and its components When it comes to the criminal justice system, communication plays a very crucial part; it will be the key element for success. Each and every officer, from a rookie all the way up to the chief of police, must be able to speak, listen and understand each person they come in contact with on a daily basis. In the field of Criminal Justice there is no room for any type of poor communication while they are doing their job, it would be a waste time and energy for both parties involved. In 1928 an author named I. A. Richards best summed up the definition of what communication means when he said “Communication takes place when one mind so acts upon its environment that another mind is influenced, and in that other mind an experience occurs which is like the experience in the first mind, and is caused in part by that experience” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, chapter 2). People need to remember that communication is a process and is not an isolated event that happens. There is believed to be five basic steps to make up the communication process; 1.) transmitting the idea, 2.) sending the idea through a medium, 3.) receiving the message, 4.) understanding the idea, and 5.) providing feedback to the message sender. If a failure does occur during any of these five steps, then the communication process is flawed and then the information will not flow in a smooth, accurate manner. Transmitting the idea is a step that implies some type of formation with one or several thoughts and then having the desire to express one or more of these ideas. Even though some people will have thoughts that will be better off left unsaid to those around them. The next step that was mentioned above is sending

Barriers of Effective 3 the idea through a medium and this is where a message is formed and then sent to who needs to receive it. When transmitting an idea it can be done in many ways such as; orally, by some kind of action or be done in writing. Yet, no matter what way the medium is used to send a message it will more than likely be interpreted in a different way. The third step is receiving the message, and needs to be acted upon in order to be able to act on it. The fourth step, understands the idea, and this is where if the message is not fully understood then it will be impossible to be able to give a feedback. Finally step five is providing feedback to the message sender, and this is the last step in the communication process. This is where the sender receives feedback to let them know that the message was understood.
Differences between listening and hearing in communication When it comes to listening and hearing in communication, a person can listen to what is being said without actually looking at the person that is speaking to them. Yet, in order to hear what is actually being said from someone, a person must clear their mind completely out and pay attention. Another reason that people to do not listen to each is because it is force of habit. A lot time this will start early in childhood, and without a certain environment and training they will never be able to listen to what someone has to say. For officers there are three important steps in the listening process. “First, the officer should try to avoid developing a preconceived notion of the speaker or the message” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, chapter 4). Secondly, the officer may have to use a language system for different types of cultures. Finally, the officer might need to retain the message that they heard earlier later on. “Tonight there was an incident at the corner

Barrier of Effective 4 of my street where there was a drive by shooting type of situation, and the officers that came to the scene had to listen to each individual on what exactly happened. Since there was more than witness to what happened, each of the officers took each witness one by one and talked to them. This way they were listening and hearing to what was being exactly said by each one of the witnesses. At first all of the witnesses were trying to talk at once, and the officers were having a hard time understanding exactly what happened.” This was a great way of an officer showing the listening and hearing skills that were taught to them.
The formal and informal channels of communication in Criminal Justice organizations “Channels and directions of communication deal with the flow or movement of information from the sender to the recipient” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009 chapter 4). The main two channels that are used in any type of organization would be formal and informal.
Formal channels are the more traditional form of communication that are used within police organizations and will usually follow a chain of command. These normally consist of some form of formal orders or written memorandums. This way it can provide a sense of order and security to the police officers and others. “Formal channels also provide certain advantages to any organization and to law enforcement agencies specifically” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, chapter 4). First, this will help make sure that all the officers within the department will receive the same information. Second, this will also help make the information clearer and more concise, so that there is less confusion about the message that is being sent. Finally, there will be a paper trail in the case of a court proceeding.

Barriers of Effective 5 Informal channels will be used in the department for a number of different situations. The most common one used is the interaction between the officers and detectives. This will happen if a detective needs to speak with an officer about a case they are working on. This type of channel can also be used with two different departments that need to work together on a case. With these two forms of channels, this will help the movement of communication flow between all that are involved.
Different barriers to effective communication No matter what a person thinks there will always be some kind of barrier to effective communication. “The four basic categories, or types, of obstacles to effective communication are as followed: (1) emotional barriers, (2) physical barriers, (3) semantic barriers, and (4) ineffective barriers” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, chapter 4). “Each of these barriers can cause either the sender or the receiver to fail to communicate effectively” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009, chapter 4). The first one “Emotional barriers, can happen in either the receiver or the sender. If an officer makes a suggestion and they get laughed at then their message was not received and this could cause them to have some kind of emotional barrier with the other officers. Secondly, physical barriers, comes from an environment which could make communication for the officer more difficult. Such as, the people they work with, equipment malfunctions or even officers searching different areas instead of together. Third, is semantic barriers, is best said by Mark Twain; “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug”. This is the studying of the meaning of the word and

Barriers of effective 6
The meaning of words that are being spoke about. Finally, the last one is ineffective listening and this is where a person may not be transmitting what is being said to them by the other party. They may also not be interested in what is being said so less they tune the other person out, have a lot on their minds, do not like the person that is speaking to them, and are easily distracted with their surroundings.
Strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers In order to overcome some communication barriers a person or an officer might do some of the following: find an area that would interest them, resist distractions, clear their mind of anything that would cause them not to listen, listen for ideas, and be flexible. More less a person should stop, look and listen to what is going on around them.
Conclusion
Communication skills are a necessity for any one and especially for those that work in the criminal justice field. Without the proper communication, than an officer or detective cannot properly perform their job. Their full attention needs to be on their job and those that they are dealing with.

Barriers of Effective 7
References
Roberson, C., & Wallace, H. (2009) Written and Interpersonal Communication. Methods for Law Enforcement. (4th ed.)

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Great Communication There are seven types of Barriers to Communication. Many people think that communicating is easy. It is after all something we do all our lives. There is some truth in this view. Communicating is straightforward. What makes it complex, difficult, and frustrating are the barriers we put in the way. Physical barriers Physical barriers in the workplace include: marked out territories, empires and fiefdoms into which strangers are not allowed closed office doors, barrier screens, and separate areas for people of different status large working areas or working in one unit that is physically separate from others. Research shows that one of the most important factors in building cohesive teams is proximity. As long as people still have a personal space that they can call their own, nearness to others aids communication because it helps us get to know one another. Perceptual barriers The problem with communicating with others is that we all see the world differently. If we didn’t, we would have no need to communicate: something like extrasensory perception would take its place. The following anecdote is a reminder of how our thoughts, assumptions and perceptions shape our own realities Emotional barriers One of the chief barriers to open and free communications is the emotional barrier. It is comprised mainly of fear, mistrust and suspicion. The roots of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be...

Words: 2406 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...1 Barriers Barriers to Effective Communication Paper Robin Mravik Due Date: Monday October 10, 2011 CJA/304 Instructor: Janette Nichols 2 When it comes to communicating with people in our daily lives, there are many people that think there is just talking and listening to the other people in the communicating process. However, there is actually five step in the communication process; which are as follows: 1.) sending the message out to someone, 2.) sending the message through a medium, 3.) receiving the message , 4.) understanding the message the person had sent, and 5.) giving your feedback to the individual that had sent the message to you. 1.) Sending the message: with this step in communication, this is where a person gathers their thoughts about what they want to say in the message, and then comes to the conclusion that this what that needs to be said. Although we have thoughts about different things every day, there are many of them that should be kept to ourselves. 2.) Sending the message through a medium: once the person has decided what he or she needs to be said, now it is time where the brain decides how the message should be sent. Whether it is in written form, in an email, a text message, or in a letter. It can also be received through speaking to the person face-to-face or on the telephone. The message can also be given in the body language the person is presenting. 3.) Receiving the message: in this third...

Words: 1469 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...bbBarriers to Effective Communication “Barriers are influencing factors which impede or breakdown the continuous communications loop. They block, distort, or alter the information. By identifying the barriers and applying countermeasures, team members can effectively communicate.” (Wallace and Roberson, 2009) Chapter four speaks of four obstacles that can prevent effective communication. Emotional barriers, physical barriers, semantic barriers, and ineffective listening all prevent effective communication on both the giving end and the receiving end. Emotional barriers are not limited to the sender; it can also be present in the receiver. For an officer who has low self-esteem, they will often look for acceptance by adding a question to the end of their statement. They want acceptance, and are trying to stay clear of rejection. “An officer with low self-esteem may not be forthcoming with opinions about the cause of an accident or who committed a crime.” (Wallace and Roberson, 2009) Physical barriers have to deal with the environment in which you are communicating in. According to the text, the barriers include, but are not limited to the chain of command that the officer has to follow and equipment malfunctioning and the environment itself. A sentence can be interpreted many different ways; this can be defined as a semantic problem. When writing a report, your sentences must be clear and leave no room for other interpenetrations. The text gives this example, “He is a real...

Words: 698 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication Barriers to Effective Communication Emalene D. Smith University of Phoenix CJA/304 When we think about communication we usually only think about how people communicate between each other, but it is so much more than that. There is a sender and a receiver when we are trying to communicate between us. Communication is best known for a message from a sender to a receiver. We must have effective communication when we are in a business because we have to communicate with everyone that we come in contact with so it will make it easier to talk to those who have a good communication skills. When we think about the components of communication that is when we only believe there are two the sender and the receiver, but when we look at it we notice that there is much more than just two processes going on. Communication is a process of verbal and also nonverbal communication messages. When the sender sends the message on it is then going through an encoding through the media to a decoding before the receiver receives the message and is than able to respond back to the sender by giving his or hers feedback. Communication is considered to be a two way process in which it won’t be complete if the receiver does not understand what the sender is trying to get across, so without the help of encoding and decoding the receiver would just have a message that is unable to be read. The first main component of the communication...

Words: 1057 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication Candace Levan CJA/304 Dennis McManimon October 16, 2011 In any organization effective communication is an important part. Effective Communications is comprised of several parts. The processes and components must be comprehended in order to become an effective listener and communicator. Information can be relayed both verbal and non-verbal and it relayed and received effectively between either two people or a group of people. Communication has two processes which are sending and receiving but is made up of several components that make it effective. A thought or thoughts are formed and then the sender wants to express the idea(s). The information is then sent through a form of medium, which the person(s) receives and interprets the information in order to understand. The receiver can then provide feedback to the sender. The communication process is not possible without listening. Listening to someone and hearing them are two different things. “Hearing defines only the physical measurement of the sound waves that are transmitted to the ear and into the brain where they are processed into audible information (Hellesvig-Gaskell, 2011)”. Listening is when a person pays attention to the words that are being communicated to them with the intent of understanding the other person that is communicating (Hellesvig-Gaskell, 2011). And example would be a child playing a video game and the babysitter tells him five more minutes and he replies...

Words: 1080 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication Kevin Borem CJA/304 November 2, 2011 Fred Staedel Barriers to Effective Communication Communication is a way of life for sociable organisms on earth. There are many forms of communication and several are used without saying a word or making a sound. With the types of communication in the world, communicating effectively may seem an unlikely idea. Effective communication between two individuals or more is dependable on the way the message from the sender has encoded the information. Effective communication insists that information sent should be received and retransmitted back to the sender without any loss in translation. To understand communication, it must first be broken down so that each element is understood (Wallace & Roberson, 2009). Communication has three elements that when assembled form what individuals know as communication. The first step in the process of communication is that understanding that communication is a process, not an isolated event. Within the process the idea of transmitting occurs. The idea that wants to be transmitted is formed with the desire to be sent to other individuals. To send the idea one must send the idea through a medium. Sending an idea through a medium means that, the idea can be sent three different ways. The three ways that the idea can be sent are orally, written, or by other actions (Wallace & Roberson, 2009). Once the idea has been sent through one of the three mediums, the message...

Words: 1740 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Barrier to Effective Communication

...process of communication and its components discuss the difference between listening and hearing in communication, talk about the formal and informal channels of communication, talk about the different barriers to effective communication, and lastly discuss the strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers. Communication is very crucial in the criminal justice system; it is the key element for success. From a rookie all the way up to a chief, every police officer must be able to speak, listen, and understand without excuses. There is no room for poor communication in the criminal justice system, because it is a waste of time and a waste of everyone's energy. An author named A. Richard in 1928 gave the best definition of communication he said, "Communication takes place when one mind acts upon its environment and that another mind is influenced. In that other mind an experience occurs just like the experience in the first mind, and is caused by that experience" (Wallace, 2009). Communication is not an isolated event, it is a process. It is five steps that the communication process contains and it is transmitting an idea, sending the idea through a medium, receiving the message, understanding the idea, and providing feedback to the message sender. The communication process becomes flawed, when failure occurs during any of the five steps, and the information that is at hand will not flow in a smooth and accurate manner. The first step to communication is transmitting...

Words: 1274 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...alter some words. Thank you and good luck in class Barriers to Effective Communication CJA/304 The process of communication is based upon many different styles and forms of components, which is why effective communicating plays a great role towards any organization, for example, the criminal justice system having its detectives and negotiators. In certain instances or situations the fact that someone or people communicate effectively can lead to the decision of life or death upon anyone, like that of an emergency dispatcher for like the police department or fire department. Throughout this paper I will describe the many types of ways that effective communication can become an encounter, when not properly using communication in its correct form. “Communication itself can be defined as being a process which pertains to one or more people, when information is exchanged throughout either face to face contact, email, text message or any form or symbol of communication” (Weaver, D. 2010). There are several types of communication types which are the encoder who creates the message, the channel it travels in, the message itself, the decoder who receives the message, and the feedback which is returned. “The form of communication is how anyone shares and exchanges all types of information, as it is done in terms of speaking, writing, presentations, and even with body language” (Weaver, D. 2010). Main elements of communication are verbal, non verbal, and intrapersonal. The differences...

Words: 1106 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...SOCIAL CULTURAL DIFFERENCES a) CULTURE DIFFERENCE Perception difference between cultures can affect communication enormously. Even silence is perceived differently from culture to culture. Culture can be defined as set of shared interpretation about beliefs, values and norms which affect the behavior of a relatively large group of people. it is not genetically inherited trait in human beings as it is learned. Clearly people from individuals and collective cultures perceive the world in marked different ways. Difference in emphasis on individualism and collectivism influence communication. Collective culture do not require the same social skills as individual culture Harmony is highly regarded as collectivism culture and verbal messages tend to be vogue so no offence is caused. Silence can mean disagreement without apparent embarrassment of loss of face to either party. J.Dan Ruthwell (2000) explains that “what is appropriate and expected communication in your own culture may be perceived as rude, arrogant or uncivilized by individuals’ culture; ethnocentric attitude can produce misattributions and communication. There is a Chinese proverb that states that “the first person to raise his voice loses the agreement J.Dan further said that “some cultural differences may challenge your sense of what is normal or proper behavior without raising ethical issues. b) GENDER DIFFERENCE Both men and women may not recognize important messages because they listen to different purposes...

Words: 1627 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication Tory Havellana CJA/304 March 28, 2011 Hon. Timothy Walsh Barriers to Effective Communication Have you ever tried to give a fellow co-worker constructive criticism to help them, only to meet their folded arms and defensive attitude? Do you think they are really listening to what you are saying, or hearing your suggestions? The body language suggests they are no longer listening, but feeling defensive, and this is an example of the barriers to effective communication. What can we do to improve our communication? What can we do to understand why we must improve our communication skills? In this paper, we will discuss the process of communication and its components, the differences between listening and hearing in communication, the formal and informal channels of communication in criminal justice organizations, the different barriers to effective communication, and finally the strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers. Understanding these important components will improve the effectiveness of our communication. It is important to communicate effectively as effective communication leads to understanding. Sanchez, N. (n.d.), explains, “The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form of the sender and the receiver...

Words: 1523 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided. Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source. Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between “listening” and “hearing”. Active listening means hearing with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker. Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good. Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the communication. Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work....

Words: 443 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication LDR/531 Organizational Leadership December 17, 2015 Lynnette Hurst During the practice of communication there can be a significant difference from the information that is essentially intended by the originator of communication and the receiver. Some parts of the communicated information may not reach the receiver at all, and whatever does may be inaccurate, and may be understood by the receiver in a way that was intended by the originator of information.  Filtering is the barrier which is given to cause this loss and distortion of information during the communication process. The more upper levels in an organization’s ladder, the more chances there are for filtering. However, filtering will happen whether there are differences in status or not. Issues, such as delivering bad news and wanting to satisfy a manager often lead to managers being told what the employees think they want to hear, hence distorting communication. At times communicating a message accurately may be not have the desired results. Team C will share some examples of situations that require change in the message to improve their productive effects. Example One: Filtering is known as “a sender’s manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favorable by the receiver” (Robbins, & Judge, p. 352). This is a critical issue for a number of people working in a salaried position, or in a position that reports directly to a manager. The majority of...

Words: 975 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...Barriers to Effective Communication University of Phoenix CJA/304 January 14, 2013 Communication refers to the exchange of information to between two beings (Wallace, H., & Roberson, C. 2009). This process could involve a number of different steps to exchange the information, but the concept is quite simple. In the basic process one being send a message to another, then that person reflect on the information and responds to the sender in exchange of information between the two beings(Wallace, H., & Roberson, C. 2009). There are barriers that exist that can hinder this simple process, but these obstacles can be easily rectified. In the concept of communication, There are two main ways that humans express their ideas, verbal, and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication simple refers to the words that a being uses to express and idea or thought. “Researchers are unable to reach a consensus on the exact number of styles; however, most are willing to concede that they cluster around four dimensions: blaming, directing, persuading, and problem solving” (Grubb, Hemby, 2003). Non-verbal communication refers to the written word and body language. A being can tell a good deal about another being by their actions, such as what emotions that they are currently possessing (anger, scared, or shocked), if they are lying, or in they are suffering some infliction. Sometimes the gestures that a being displays can lead another person to some ideas...

Words: 1479 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...CJA/304 Instructor Interpersonal Communication Name Barriers to Effective Communication Effective communication is essential to the accomplishment of any organization or company. The easy procedure for attaining the capability to interact properly between one host and another host can result in the real difference of life or death. There are lots of hurdles within communication in case an individual isn't properly trained to abide by certain principles. This document will review a lot of examples of effective communication as well as the hurdles a person may face when trying to properly transmit information to another person. The word communication is depending on a type of a systematic procedure which involves the exchange of information between one person to another or between parties. There are normally a number of arrays between systems of symbols which is intertwined with discipline to produce a particular type of communications. Various parts of communications consist of situation, channel, interference, atmosphere, comments, source, message, and receiver. Communication is exactly what allows people to share particular experiences or knowledge between themselves. Personal communication is noticeable by many types including talking, writing, broadcasting, sign language, as well as gestures. Broken down even more, various types of communication also can be accidental, deliberate, transactive, interactive, inter or intrapersonal and also verbal and nonverbal. The...

Words: 1158 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Barriers to Effective Communication

...All of these changes were announced in memo and distribute to employees. However, Mikelson’s memos have created some issues, experienced worker were furious about receiving orders from bureaucrats and new employee barely knew Bruce and Carol. Besides that, there are seven workers from different countries who now work together in original shop, which affect the quality of communication. Quality product alone is not enough to guarantee the continuing success of Sundown Bakery, they need to improve the quality of communication among the whole company. Question 1 . Communication is a process of transferring a message from one person to another. Effective communication is important when conducting a business; the receiver must able to interpret the meaning of the message correctly. The key element in communication process included sender, message, decoding, feedback, context and noise. The sender is the person who initiates the communication, his ideas or information is encoding into a massage in a form of words, gestures, verbal or non-verbal language, which will later send to a receiver through a communication channel, such channels can be face-to-face conversation, e-mail or written report. Decoding take place once the receiver starts to interpret the meaning of the massage based on his or her understanding. Feedback is the respond from the receiver after he or she has decode the meaning...

Words: 2392 - Pages: 10