Hostage/crisis Negotiations

Book excerpt: The focus of this book is on dealing with hostage and crisis negotiations and how this can be successfully accomplished in order to save lives. Typically, those encountered by correctional and law enforcement crisis negotiators fall into one of three broad categories: The Bad, the Mad, and the Sad – or, those with antisocial personality disorder; those who are severely mentally ill, insane or psychotic; or those who are contemplating suicide, respectively. This book outlines tactics and procedures for dealing with these three groups of individuals. Many excerpts will be found of siege dialogue and behind-the-scenes efforts of those in the command post and other locations whose efforts and energies play an integral role in this life-saving process. Some topics discussed include how using sleep deprivation should be avoided by hostage and crisis negotiators and how it can be used to advantage against the culprits; and how active listening skills (ALS) can be utilized and the mechanics of the process. These ALS guidelines show how being not only a good interviewer but also a good listener can be used to find a remedy to the situation. Team roles and responsibilities are also discussed in some detail. Using “hooks,” or topics/persons that can be used to extract the subject from the crisis, and “hot buttons,” or topics/persons that should be avoided from discussion, is also examined. Several “Lessons Learned” sections are also included after the dialogues, outlining what was learned and achieved in the process and which pitfalls should be avoided. Crisis negotiations has also been included in the book because a growing number of subjects with whom crisis negotiators deal are not holding hostages. While it is not the purpose of this text to review all tactics and techniques of the negotiations process, many examples are provided of what does work and, on occasion, what does not. It will prove to be a very useful tool to corrections and police negotiators and crisis interveners who seek peaceful ends to these very volatile and dangerous situations.