The Foundations of Communication in Criminal Justice Systems

Book excerpt: Myriad forms of communication occur within the criminal justice system as judges and attorneys speak to juries, law enforcement officers interact with the public, and the news media presents stories of events in courtrooms. Hindrances abound, however. Law enforcement officers and justice system personnel often encounter challenges that affect their ability to communicate with others, ranging from language barriers, to conflicting accounts of witnessed events, to errors caused by malfunctioning technology. Examining the relevancy of the U.S. Constitution to modern communications, The Foundations of Communication in Criminal Justice Systems demonstrates how information is conveyed from multiple perspectives in a range of scenarios, enabling readers to see how these matters relate to and affect the criminal justice system. Topics covered include: How to use the communications process within the justice system from the crafting of messages through the solicitation of feedback Effective methods for persuading individuals and audiences Federal regulations in the workplace and workplace communications tactics How law enforcement and public safety entities use marketing and advertising to influence the general public How to use multimedia resources when communicating Using multiple communications styles to support effective leadership The book concludes with discussions on innovations in communication technology, natural language processing, cybernetics, and other emerging concepts. With an emphasis on logical reasoning in communication, the book explores the perspectives of numerous players in the justice system, from patrol officers to attorneys. Supplemented by examples of written communication templates that can be adapted within a law enforcement organization, it provides readers with solid theoretical and applied approaches to the subject matter.