Problem of Communication
Introduction
In most cases in the current times involve the problem of communication which is basically the cause and also the effect. Misunderstanding can cause poor communication which will result in conflicts or maybe worse depending on the effects (Woszidlo & Segrin, 2013). When conflicts arise, communication difficulties also arise as the individuals involved in the conflict are not willing to communicate. In most cases, communication is based on two parties where we have the speaker and the listener and in this case we have the criminal justice system as the listener. Communication is very important especially in the passage of information and assists to reduce the effects of having an unclear message that can lead to chaos. In many countries, lack of communication is the main cause of violent as the leaders are always conflicting over the same issues (Brown, 2016). Staying informed is all about communication and if a certain party is not well informed, then miscommunication is the result which sends a very negative message to the audience. Under the criminal justice system, the problem of communication is the order of the day where various systems have collided with the justice system.
There are many barriers to having an effective communication, especially in the criminal justice system. One of the major barriers to communication is that which involves the semantics. Semantics can be termed as the understanding of every individual who is affected by certain words or phrases during communication. In every basic professional network, there are expressions and terms which hold certain meaning (Mustajoki, 2012). The system of justice also experiences the same as what every organization experiences. However, when certain phrases and terms hold vital meaning to the big number of officers, the same words can hold a very different information or meaning to other people. This can occasionally cause the problem of communication when one is speaking to the public or even within an organization if specific words are not chosen correctly. When two individuals come together from the same social background, it is more likely that the both of them can be understood. In case there are two individuals who are from different social backgrounds when they come together with the likelihood of having a miscommunication increases extensively. This is the most common and appears in almost every court session. The terminologies used in these fields in many cases have an effect on the person being addressed (Woszidlo & Segrin, 2013). It involves the use of law related terminologies which are hardly known to many people.
The ability to listen is also a barrier to communication as individuals are not willing to learn or listen to what is said to them. In the event of having a speaker, most people do not listen to what the speaker is saying if they are bored and do not want to listen. In many circumstances, speakers who are boring are never given the attention they need even if the information they are passing is vital to the audience. The audience clearly understands that the speaker has some good information but due to the reduction in interest, being dull or very stubborn makes them not ready to listen. This is a natural feeling since most individuals are known to assume or not listen to others (Mustajoki, 2012). If there is a boring topic, listeners will try as much as they can to block the topic and disregard every piece of information given. Other outside stress also prevents people from listening. If a person has some personal problems which are in his or her mind, then this will reduce the level of attention to the speaker and shift the mind to other fields. External distractions also can be a problem to communication whereby a person is busy talking to someone then an eye-catching act catches the attention of either party, therefore, causing a distraction. Being emotional also increases the level of a person having a problem of communication. Some people are too emotional which makes them prone to break down at any point in during a conversation (Woszidlo & Segrin, 2013).
Certain kinds of people consider minor issues as hurting and discouraging as anything. It is therefore very important to always recognize the fact that in such cases being careful is a necessity, not an option. The problem of having a misinterpretation of the messages in the justice system has been a common challenge which has affected the justice system as individuals struggle to understand some of these basic terms. Diversity in terms of the cultural backgrounds also can cause the misinterpretation of vital information as required. Some cultures have different meanings over the issue but term it differently and in this scenario, a different answer is provided. Several different language groups present different challenges that have presented difficult choices to take care of. Lack of knowledge can be a contributor to the problem of communication (Brown, 2016). An individual in the justice system mostly the leaders have adequate knowledge and have an experience of dealing with the justice system but it becomes a challenge to address the same when dealing with a common man. Communication is very vital and can cause unwanted complications if not well address. Lack of awareness in terms of the legal rights and choices is also a problem of communication.
Lack of awareness is the most immediate cause of communication barrier since making a person understand what he or she does not want to understand becomes a challenge. Crime victimization has been reported in many cases but has changed the meaning to that of cognitive impairment which has not been reported by some individuals since they are not aware of such considerations. The social misconception of the cognitive disability presents itself as a problem of communication amongst the individuals with cognitive impairment. A person with an intellectual disability does not face criminal justice as the legal system, the courts and the police believe that the person has no capability of doing any reported crime as a misconception (Woszidlo & Segrin, 2013). Anxiety is also a big problem of communication as individuals who are anxious about a particular subject tends to have a communication breakdown. Use of substances has generated the fear among people which has caused the normal communication to be physically challenging in the real sense. A complicated system of justice can contribute to the breakdown in communication.
There are certain procedures o be followed when one wants to act on something, therefore, the system must be followed and this presents a challenge. The level of confidence is also a determiner in every communication where members who have more confidence tend to have a good communication compared to others who lack confidence and there is an occurrence of a problem in communication (Mustajoki, 2012). In cases such as those which involve the pathologists, individuals have less to say since the basic understanding of simple forensic is a problem so communication becomes challenging. The level of confidence among the pathologist is high enough making the other party to panic very easily. The justice system can present an ideology where the opinions of other people matter whenever they favor the system. The problem of communication can be caused by having a very messy thought about a particular subject. Individuals who have a tendency of having a messy thought are the main causes of misunderstandings since they most talk with the same messy tone and cause a problem of communication. These kinds of people are always contradictive in nature and do not have a level ground from where they can stand by the truth (Brown, 2016).
Some definitions are faulty and these form a basis for the communication problems. The wording in the justice system discourages the interest of a person wanting to get more information on the same issue. The use of hard and law-related terms with a different definition creates a physical challenge which can lead to a loss of meaning. Also, use of homophones by the system can cause the dependent to generalize the meaning to something unexplainable. The voice of words can secure such a case but makes it difficult to put it down on a piece of paper. Use of sloppy language outside the justice causes a problem of using the same terminology in the correct way. These poor habits of communication can lead to the miscommunication as the environment changes momentarily, therefore, increasing the likeliness of miscommunication (Brown, 2016). This particular habit changes the thinking and understanding of the situation making it an issue to acknowledge the effects. In government related cases, the quality of words and the intention does not matter as long as the quantity is highly rewarded. Hard to understand topics are of interest to people like the lawyers whereas this is a form of miscommunication among the society.
Many prefer the use of plain language which will tend to differ from what the original meaning of an issue. This is a form of miscommunication and has its deepest roots in use of vague language mostly mixed with a lot of cultural backgrounds. Lack of a mission and a vision also contributes to miscommunication in most cases. Justice system is full of rules and directives which are stipulated to ensure the upholding of justice is observed. Such events can cause the miscommunication since not everyone who understands the essence of making it factual. Lack of ownership in certain occurrences can influence a problem of communication (Mustajoki, 2012). A defined class of individuals will always lack ownership and make decisions according to their own thinking which creates a dispute which affects other parties causing miscommunication. In many occasions, the justice system brings out the right message but which makes it difficult to explain the cause of action in many people’s mind. At this point the understanding of a normal common person is undecided.
Taking a keen interest on the assumptions one is making is important to avoid miscommunication. This can be done when each party during a conversation is willing to work on the guiding principles of the law. The justice system is bundled with information which might require much more than the required kind of education and this clearly indicates the essence of understanding. Individuals can also use formatting in communication in order to prevent the occurrence of miscommunication. The legal framework should be able to influence and recognize the various levels of people the society has before giving a confusing decision. Training the society the need for understanding how the system works can be a vital step to ending miscommunication. Certain terminologies which have deep meaning in the systems should be replaced with others which are understandable and have a clear meaning. Using difficult words to explain scenarios only creates the need for change. The justice system should not challenge the members of society with difficult tasks leading to undefined conceptions.
Conclusion
The problem of communication has caused a lot of misunderstandings in the justice system since most of the terminologies confuse not only the listeners but also the users in certain cases. Speakers and those accorded the respect of leading should consider the fact that the audience or the members are from different cultural backgrounds and so the need for a formal language of communication. Encouraging the general public on the need for change and understanding the system is essential for all. Certain rules stipulated by the law require a commitment to understanding this can be a good way of elimination miscommunication through training (Bloom et al., 2014). The language barrier is the main issue which should be looked into keenly and in the right way. Certain communities have issues understanding matters to do with the law and thus to avoid the occurrence of miscommunication, clear guidelines have to be implemented quickly.
References
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