NCJ Number
204225
Date Published
2003
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews the evolution of the knowledge base over the last 25-30 years regarding how best to negotiate hostage/barricade crisis incidents.
Abstract
Over the last 25 years there has been a significant increase in the knowledge base regarding crisis incidents and how best to respond to and manage them. The act of capturing and holding a person against his/her will is now better understood, as researchers and practitioners have recognized that various motives can be involved in such events. There has been an evolution in how negotiators identify and perform their role. The first generation of specialists viewed themselves primarily as "hostage" negotiators; however, the current generation of specialists perceived themselves as "crisis" negotiators. This change in self-perception and role-perception is due in part to an increasing understanding of the similarities and differences between hostage and barricade situations. This paper reviews this evolution. Following a review of typology analyses, the author examines the results of database development and analyses that pertain to hostage and barricade incidents. Two sections of the paper then address negotiation analyses and victim analyses. In identifying knowledge areas that require further development, the author focuses on four areas that require research: documentation and analysis of hostage/barricade events, analysis and improvement in crisis negotiation techniques, the development and improvement of victim treatment techniques, and the exploration of the impact of the media on the outcome of hostage/barricade events. The author recommends that negotiating teams make greater use of dedicated software programs such as the Crisis Negotiator, during crisis incidents. 5 tables and 51 references