NCJ Number
187366
Journal
Journal of Police Crisis Negotiations Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: 2001 Pages: 47-59
Editor(s)
James L. Greenstone Ed.D.
Date Published
2001
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article discusses events contributing to police hostage negotiation impasses and explores techniques for police negotiators to use to produce movement through the impasse.
Abstract
When hostage negotiations reach an impasse, negotiators must be prepared to call on their resources in order to work through it. Understanding what elements might create an impasse and what dynamics might be utilized to get movement to occur are vital considerations for the negotiator. Some of the reasons listed for the occurrence of impasses are: the hostage taker is not actively involved or not engaged in the negotiation process; the negotiator has failed to defuse the actor’s negative emotions which might include hostility, anger, suspicion, and defensiveness; the benefits of the actor’s coming out have not been adequately explored or weighed; the hostage taker sees a benefit to maintaining the conflict; the hostage taker and negotiator have stopped listening to each other; and the hostage taker and negotiator are locked in a power struggle. Techniques for getting movement to occur in an impasse are listed through scenarios. Some techniques listed are: allow intense emotions to be vented; clarify perceptions and misperceptions; limit unproductive communication; put the focus of responsibility where it belongs; get information that may help to generate alternatives; be an agent of reality; and look at the possible results of not negotiating. The techniques are a reminder of the need to gain an understanding of the hostage taker’s underlying interests, their stated agenda, their hidden agenda, their negotiating style, their pattern of communication, their concerns, and the necessity of bringing them into the negotiations process as quickly as possible. References