TERRORISM AND HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS

• NCJ Number: 64413
• Author(s): A H MILLER
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 150 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-99-0108
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Westview Press, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Westview Press, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: WESTVIEW SPECIAL STUDIES IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Annotation

AN EXAMINATION OF METHODS USED TO DEAL WITH HOSTAGE SITUATIONS INCLUDES AN ANALYSIS OF TERRORIST MANIPULATION OF HOSTAGE/BARRICADE TACTICS, POLITICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS INVOLVED, AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE.

Abstract

FOLLOWING AN OVERVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AS A TYPE OF WARFARE, AN EXAMINATION OF TERRORISM AND DEMOCRACY, AND A DISCUSSION OF TERRORISM AND THE UNITED NATIONS, THE POLICE EXPERIENCE CONCERNING HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS IS EXPLORED. THE CASE OF THE WASHINGTON D.C., HANAFI MUSLIM TAKEOVER OF THE B'NAI BRITH AND OTHER BUILDINGS, IS ANALYZED FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC INFLUENCES, THE POLICE TACTICAL RESPONSE, THE MOTIVATION FOR CAPITULATION, THE VALUE OF NEGOTIATION, AND NEGOTIATIONS AS RITUAL. A CONSIDERATION OF THE PROBLEM OF TRANSFERENCE INVOLVES THE PROCESS ITSELF, TRANSFERENCE AS A FUNCTION OF OTHER VARIABLES, THE STOCKHOLM SYNDROME, CHARACTERISTICS OF HOSTAGE TAKERS AND HOSTAGES, HOSTAGE COPING, AND TERRORISTS' DEMANDS. DISCUSSION OF SWAT (SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS) ENCOMPASSES SWAT'S PHILOSOPHY, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING, TACTICAL PROCEDURES, PROBLEMS FACING SWAT, AND SWAT AND THE MEDIA. THE DILEMMA OF TERRORISM AND THE MEDIA IS REVIEWED COVERING CONSTRAINTS ON A SOLUTION AND PROBLEMS OF MEDIA INTRUSION AND MEDIA DEPICTION OF TERRORIST ACTIONS. FINALLY, A CONSIDERATION OF TERRORISM AND GOVERNMENT POLICY LEADS TO SEVERAL CONCLUSIONS ABOUT POLICY IMPLICATIONS AND DOMESTIC CONSEQUENCES: (1) HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS REQUIRE A COORDINATED SET OF PREDETERMINED TACTICS BETWEEN SPECIAL WEAPONS UNITS AND TRAINED NEGOTIATORS; (2) THE APPLICATION OF NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES HAS BEEN MOST SUCCESSFUL IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING INTERRUPTED FELONIES; (3) AN OPEN POLICY OF NONNEGOTIATION WILL NOT ACT AS A DETERRENT TO POLITICAL HOSTAGE TAKING; (4) TACTICS USED IN HOSTAGE AND BARRICADE SITUATIONS WITH FELONS CAN SUCCEED IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING POLITICAL TERRORISTS IF THE TERRORISTS ARE PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN MAKING A SYMBOLIC STATEMENT AND OBTAINING PUBLICITY; (5) THE TYPE OF TERRORISM POLICY A GOVERNMENT WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IS A FUNCTION OF THE POLITICAL CLIMATE A GOVERNMENT CONFRONTS; AND (6) THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING A HOSTAGE DOES NOT END WITH A RESOLUTION OF THE SITUATION. CHAPTER REFERENCE NOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)