Organizational communication is usually structured in a way that enhances effectiveness by ensuring that the intended message reaches the right audience at the appropriate time. In the context of criminal justice organizations, this assertion calls for both formal and informal communication to be elaborate, clear, and precise to avoid miscommunication because one incident could have lasting effects on the affected parties. One major barrier to communication within the criminal justice system is poor channels of communication. Various channels are available for the passage of information from the sender to the receiver. However, if the involved parties are not conversant with the channel used, there could be miscommunication. For instance, communicating through emails is fast and easy, but some receivers might not receive the message in time to execute certain duties, which derails the justice system.
Another major barrier is the language used because if unclear, the intended message would not be delivered successfully. This scenario creates a bypassing effect whereby people attach different meanings to the same words, which could potentially impede effective communication. Cultural and language barriers pose a major challenge to effective communication in criminal justice organizations. For instance, a police officer could be giving instructions to immigrants who do not understand the English language, and thus communication is broken in this context. Another major problem is psychological defensiveness, especially when implementing change among police officers, specifically concerning the way they interact with people and execute their jobs. Experiential barriers to communication exist whereby people are subjective with their opinions hence biased, which could affect how they talk with one another.