What are some examples of ways law enforcement professionals may effectively communicate with individuals who have

visual and hearing impairments? How did the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) impact law enforcement, particularly in relation to victims of crimes? Is there a better solution to the way in which law enforcement and criminal justice professionals communicate with individuals who are protected by ADA?

Two of the most common disabilities an officer may encounter are blindness and deafness. In the event that an officer encounters a blind individual, rather than just introducing and identifying themselves, they should allow the individual to feel their badge as well to validate their identity since they cannot be seen. When an officer encounters an individual who is hearing impaired, it is important to remember that not all hearing impaired individuals are able to read lips well. If sign language is not known to the officer, they should have pen and paper available to ask if the person can read lips. If they can, then the officer should speak slowly, clearly, and use emphasis on how their mouths form the words, as well as using short sentences. However, if an interpreter is available then they should always provide one for the individual. Without meaning to, many people are uncomfortable around those with disabilities, and this even includes officers. Often, people with disabilities are either ignored or looked upon with pity. This feeling stems from the uneasiness of being around those who are different, or from lack of knowledge about the disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act was created to ensure that those individuals with disabilities are treated fairly. This act protects these individuals against discrimination from government services, programs, or activities. I think that the best way that law enforcement and criminal justice professionals communicate with the disabled who are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act is through the use of sign language, written communication, assistive listening devices (hearing

aids, etc. for those who are not completely deaf), specialized services, and equipment. These are some of the most common methods to use as a solution to break the barriers of effective communication with those who are disabled. What type of challenges do criminal justice professionals face when attempting to communicate with people who have language barriers? How does this barrier impact the overall effectiveness of communication among al parties involved? What methods would you suggest for effectively communicating with these groups? Effective communication when there are language barriers present can be very difficult. Individuals who grow up in various cultures are introduced to different ways of thinking and understanding the world. The way on individual communicates is going to differ from that of another individual from a different culture, even if they speak the same language. Without the proper interpretation of what is being said, the likelihood of misinterpretation increases. To effectively communicate when language barriers exist, criminal justice professionals should either provide an interpreter or implement the use of language assistance technology. This technology uses a computer to help translate what is being said from an individual's native language to a language the criminal justice professional will understand. There are three types of language assistance technology; one-way technology, twoway technology, and remote simultaneous interpreting technology. The one-way technology device is similar to a PDA, and it can be programmed with various pre-recorded phrases in various languages. It is much like an audio translation book. With this device, a language is selected, then a phrase is selected, and then the phrase will be spoken in the language selected. They are also hands-free so that they can be clipped to a belt/shirt or placed in a pocket, and is an excellent device to have available to read an individual their Miranda Rights when arrested. The two-way technology device is much more advanced. It does not rely on the pre-programmed phrases, and allows for criminal justice professionals to have unpredictable conversations with individuals translated quickly. The criminal justice professional would simply speak into the device, which will decipher the language spoken, and then translate it into the language needed. This method is not used as much because it has not been fully developed yet, but it is used by the military. Remote simultaneous interpreting technology uses a trained translator to provide almost immediate interpretation via telephone. The criminal justice professional would call the translator, place the call on speaker so that they and the other individual can hear the translator, and then speak when the translator begins the communication. This technology can often be seen used in the courtroom. In the criminal justice system, language barriers have significantly slowed the ability to quickly and efficiently solve crimes and protect the community. These language assistance devices could be extremely helpful in addressing these issues, especially in highly diversified cultural areas, and they can easily be used from many different locations. What is an example of a communication strategy within the criminal justice system when dealing with a special situation? How do the dynamics of the situation affect the overall communication style/method among those involved? What recommendations would you suggest to improve

communication within the criminal justice system when dealing with critical incidents, emergencies, and/or conflict situations? One example of a communication strategy within the criminal justice system when dealing with a special situation is using a press release. Often situations will happen that will paint law enforcement agencies in a negative light, and it will reflect negatively to the community. This will have a negative impact on law enforcement agencies because they depend on public support. Without the trust of law enforcement, the community will not feel safe from crime. This is why public relations are an important aspect of the criminal justice system. It is public relations that are responsible for devising press releases that positively reflect on law enforcement agencies without being deceptive. It is also the public relations department that is responsible for providing the community with up-to-date information regarding new/updated rules and regulation so that the community is aware, and they can effectively adjust their lives to suit these changes. Therefore, it is vital that the public relations department compose an effective press release for the community. To improve these communications, I would recommend thoroughly researching the situations. While it is easy to communicate the law enforcement agency's victories and accomplishments, it is much more difficult to repair the agency's reputation when a mistake is made. To do this, the writer must remember to be objective and avoid placing blame on anyone. The press release should avoid any statements that would produce more skepticism within the community. The writer should also take into consideration any other press releases from various other sources to compose a press release that responds to those stories and answers any possible underlying questions.