NCJ Number
57695
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THIS TRAINING FILM FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL DEMONSTRATES THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS OF READING AND USING BODY LANGUAGE.
Abstract
THE SUBJECT OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION AND EXPRESSION IS EXAMINED IN THE CONTEXT OF TYPICAL SITUATIONS ENCOUNTERED BY POLICE OFFICERS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES, FROM OBSERVING AND INTERCEPTING SUSPECTED CRIMINALS TO INTERVENING IN POTENTIALLY VIOLENT DOMESTIC CONFRONTATIONS. BODY LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES ARE ILLUSTRATED AT A BASIC ENOUGH LEVEL THAT THEY CAN BE PUT INTO PRACTICE WITHOUT EXTENSIVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING. ATTENTION IS ALSO CALLED TO THE FACT THAT SIMPLE BUT OFTENTIME CRUCIAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS CAN ARISE FROM A FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THAT NONVERBAL, LIKE VERBAL, LANGUAGE DIFFERS FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE AND FROM SUBCULTURE TO SUBCULTURE. OFFICERS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO RELY SOLELY ON SIXTH-SENSE HUNCHES BASED ON BODY LANGUAGE OBSERVATIONS, BUT RATHER TO BACK UP HUNCHES WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. (KBL)