Hostage Negotiations: A Situational/Motivational Approach for Police Response (From Critical Issues in Criminal Investigations, Second Edition, P 247-259, 1988, Michael J Palmiotto, ed. -- See NCJ-109292)

• NCJ Number: 109304
• Author(s): R A Whittle
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Anderson Publishing Co
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

After identifying types of hostagetaking incidents, this paper discusses the objectives of negotiation in such situations and issues that must be considered in planning policies and procedures.

Abstract

Types of hostage situations are kidnapping for ransom, the use of hostages by a 'cornered' criminal to ward off police attack and possibly escape the scene, hostagetaking by a mentally ill person, and hostagetaking by political terrorists. Given the high priority U.S. society gives to life and property, negotiations toward saving the lives of hostages has the highest priority. Failing in negotiations, the strategy can escalate to the use of force. It is almost impossible, however, to negotiate with a hostagetaker after having displayed force. Serious negotiations with the hostagetaker should be delayed until comprehensive information has been obtained on the hostagetaker's background and social history. Negotiations should then proceed based on this knowledge. Some issues to be considered in the development of policies and procedures are whether policy and procedures are to be different according to whether the hostage is a civilian or police officer, the extent to which the threat of legal liability is to have priority, limits on negotiable items, and the response in the event a hostage is killed. 9 notes and 9 references.