Benefits of Non Verbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Non Verbal Communication Essay Non verbal communication is defined as certain ways that a person communicates his thoughts and meanings without actually saying anything. These are the subtle clues that can help an investigating officer uncover a truth while questioning a suspect or witness or can lead him to more questions that will aid the investigating team. Programs such as CSI have shown us how police officers and crime scene investigators utilize contradicting, complementing, substituting, accenting, or regulating verbal messages. An investigating officer will benefit immensely from being familiar with these methods because of the way a crime scene is most often chaotic and witnesses who are being questioned are dealing with fear of being implicated in the case or perhaps, trying to cover their own involvement in the case. A sample of a contradicting non verbal communication that he can look out for has to do with the way a witness recalls the events as it transpired in a certain case. When a witness is looking down while relating the events transpired, that witness is most likely creating a memory. A person recalling a memory usually looks upward when trying to remember events, places, and situations. Under such circumstances, he should take notes and make sure to verify all the events by interviewing other people who might attest to the validity of the statements previously made. He may also consider the tone of voice of a person being interrogated. When a person is trying to hide a truth, there is a certain intonation and nervousness in the voice that usually causes it to raise in tone by a pitch or so. The officer must make sure to gain the trust and confidence of the witness or accused prior to questioning to keep the person off guard in order to get the most truthful answers out of them. A parole officer on the other hand must be highly observant and familiar with the psychological profile of his parolee that could indicate his behavior during certain situations in order to easily recognize the signs being displayed by the parolee when he comes in for his weekly reports. While meeting with the parolee, he should observe his complementing and accenting behavior. Particularly the first time the person enters the room. Does he shake your hand? Does he make eye contact? Does he seem nervous and on the edge? All of these could add up to a specific non verbal message that will give one an insight into the real score behind what the parolee wants to portray as truth. He should then react accordingly by enticing the person to become more open and share more information with him. In the event that the parolee begins to display accenting behavior such as hitting the table or throwing something, he must be prepared to restrain the person and try to snap him out of his mood. The one non verbal communication that both an investigating and parole officer must be quick to realize are the regulating non verbal communication tools. Such actions could be a simple look of question, a hint of despair in the eyes, or the wringing of hands of the person spoken to. Once recognized, he must be prepared to follow up on the subtle messages either by asking follow up questions or reassuring the person that the officer is in charge and everything is under control. People say that there is no such thing as the perfect crime. I have to agree with that statement because any officer who is familiar and highly observant when it comes to non verbal communication cues will easily be able to follow up on subtle clues not included in the physical evidence present at a crime scene or parole interview.