Barriers to Effective Communication Paper Communication is something that is a part of each individual’s life, however the way in which each individual communicates is different and varies depending on the situation. There are two main forms of communication and those forms are verbal and nonverbal communication. When it comes to communication between two individuals there is a difference between what he or she listens to and what is actually heard during the conversation. When it comes to individuals within the criminal justice organization there is both the use of informal and formal channels of communication. An issue that normally arises when it comes to communication in criminal justice is that there are many different barriers that make communication difficult for some. However, there are strategies that can be used to help overcome the communication barriers that are faced in the criminal justice field. There are two forms of communication verbal communication and nonverbal communication. No matter which form of communication an individual is partaking in he or she has to go through a process that will enable the receiver of the message to understand what the message is. During the process an idea is transmitted and is sent by a medium which allows the other individual to receive and understand the message. Then the individual that received the message will respond to the sender of the message by providing feedback. The first step for an individual to send someone a message is that he or she has to put together the information that he or she wants to send to the receiver. Once the sender knows the information that he or she wants to send he or she must either use verbal or nonverbal communication to send the message. Verbal communication is when the individual sends a message by speaking and nonverbal communication is when the receiver sends a message by writing the message or showing the message to the receiver. The sender can use either form of communication or a mixture of both. The receiver of the message receiving the message is the most important part of the communication process for the simple fact that in order for the communication to be successful the sender has to receive the message and be able to understand the message. The last step of the communication process is what allows the receiver to respond to the sender by letting the receiver know that the receiver understands what the message that was transmitted (Roberson & Wallace, 2009). For those that do not know much about the communication process he or she may believe that listening and hearing is the same thing however, they are incorrect. In most forms of communication listening is what normally occurs. Listening is when an individual is paying attention to the sender and being able to process what the message is intended to be. Hearing on the other hand is just when the person hears what is being said but is not focusing on what the message is meant to be (Hatesohl & Lee, 1993). It is important for an individual to listen when communication since just hearing is not completing the communication process. Hearing is a trait that comes natural to human beings however listening is something that is learned as babies grow into children and adults. The process of learning to listen is different for each individual and at different stages of life since each individual learns to comprehend at different ages. Some individuals believe that as humans grow old they tend to lose their listening skills (Hovatter. D. (2011).
When an individual is involved in a conversation with others there are two forms of channels that he or she will use either formal or informal channels. By using either formal or informal channels when communicating do so to allow the message to flow from individual to individual using different methods or avenues of delivery. The first channel of communication is the formal channel. Formal channels of communication are organized. When used among police departments the communication is used as a chain of command directive and is in the form of organization, order, and security. If formal channels of communication are used correctly there is clarity, a paper trail, and provides the same information with everyone that is involved. Formal channels. Formal channels of communication is very important in the criminal justice system since there is a large emphasis on procedures, testimonies, and court hearing. Without formal channels the criminal justice system would crumble (Roberson & Wallace, 2009).
The second channel of communication is an informal channel. Informal channels in communication is when the communication comes through an unofficial route such as hearing something through the grapevine or departmental gossip. In the criminal justice system informal channels of communication is considered to be gossip among individuals involved. Informal channels are used with detectives in order to better communicate and gather information that is needed for a case and to help maintain a positive attitude in the department. Within a police department the lower ranking officers should be the only individuals that use informal channels of communication (Roberson & Wallace, 2009)
When someone is communicating there are different types of barriers that may effect how someone communicates. There are four main types of communication barriers which are physical, emotional, ineffective listening, and semantic. Barriers in communication are not good in any situation however they are more problematic in the criminal justice system. If an individual has an emotional barrier then communication is effected when the sender or receiver uses his or her personal experiences and expectations while communicating. Physical barriers for law enforcement officers make communication more difficult because the officer speaks with the supervisor, which means other officers that are involved in the case don’t know everything that is going on. Semantic barriers are when someone does not understand a word so understanding a message becomes difficult. The last barrier is when an individual does not listen effectively because the receiver does not receive the message that is being transmitted (Roberson & Wallace, 2009)
Since barriers effect how effective communication is it is important for individuals to learn how to get over these barriers and the way to do this is to practice. If an individual would like to get over an emotional barrier at work by talking with their co-workers about situations before they get too bad off. If there is a physical barrier that must be overcame the best way to this is to do daily checking with the supervisors. If an individual has a hard time with their vocabulary they can practice new words and going over definitions daily will help increase an individual’s vocabulary and helps him and her to have a better understanding what the message is. In order for an ineffective listener to become a better listener he or she should place themselves in different types of environments in which they can learning to concentrate on listening (Roberson & Wallace, 2009)
In conclusion, communication is used in many different way by each individual. Sometimes an individual may use verbal or nonverbal communication in an formal or informal channels. In communication it is also important to know the difference between listening and hearing. In any form of communication there may be barriers that must be overcame in order for the communication process to be successful. In the criminal justice system communication is a very important aspect that allows each individual involved to be able to communicate efficiently.

References
Hatesohl, D., & Lee, D. (1993). Listening: Out most used communication skill. Retrieved from http://www.examiner.com/article/effective-communication-criminal-justice-process- components-and-various-types
Hovatter, D. (2011). Learn the difference between hearing and listening. Retrieved from http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/555125/Learn-the-difference- between-hearing-and-listening.html?nav=5152
Wallace, H. & Roberson, C. (2009). Written and interpersonal communication: Methods for law enforcement (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.