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Non Verbal Communication | | Drew M. Lubeck | 11/27/2012 | | | | |

C ommunication consists of the following according to Merriam Webster, “: a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.” (Communication, 2009) Criminal justice professionals can greatly benefit by improving their nonverbal communication recognition skills. In this field, it is essential to be able to accurately assess nonverbal communication in dealing with coworkers, and especially clients. While, "nonverbal communication is not an exact science" (Grubb, Hemby, 2003), there are several ways in which we can learn to read the body language of others and therefore better
In essence, their eyes are constantly darting from place to place signaling disinterest or dishonesty." (Grubb, Hemby, 2003).
The next way to improve nonverbal communication is by listening to the qualities, characterizers, qualifiers, and segregates of the voice. By understanding paralinguistics, it can assist us in accurately perceiving a message. Voice quality is the pitch, rhythm, tempo, and volume. A person who is speaking fast and loud with negative affect displays is most likely angry. One who is speaking softly, slowly, and quietly while looking down and turning red in the face can be shy, or possibly embarrassed. The quality of a person's voice is critical in helping to decipher the true meaning of their message. "Voice characterizers include things such as grunting, clearing the throat, yawning, and coughing. Characterizers should be avoided while speaking because they are very annoying." (Grubb, Hemby, 2003). Anything that can be considered annoying is also a distraction, which can interrupt communication. Qualifiers, closely related to qualities, are the way in which a person stresses certain words or phrases by changing their tone or volume. Lastly, vocal segregates are considered to be, "Nonfluencies or periods of silence between words." (Grubb, Hemby, 2003).
The use of proxemics (space and objects) is fundamental