NCJ Number
32503
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A TYPOLOGY OF KIDNAPPERS AND TAKERS OF HOSTAGES, DISCUSSION OF OFFENDER PERSONALITY TYPES, AND PRESENTATION OF ARGUMENTS FAVORING A HARSHER APPROACH BY WEST GERMAN POLICE.
Abstract
THESE OFFENDERS FALL INTO THREE CATEGORIES - POLITICALLY MOTIVATED OFFENDERS, THOSE SEEKING TO ESCAPE FROM SOMETHING OR TO SOMEWHERE, AND THOSE SEEKING PERSONAL GAIN. VIEWS OF OTHER AUTHORS ON KIDNAPPER AND TAKER-OF-HOSTAGES PERSONALITY TYPES ARE CITED. THE AUTHOR SYAS THESE OFFENDERS ARE OFTEN SOLITARY PEOPLE, SERIOUS PSYCHOPATHIC CASES AND DESPERATE. MANY OF THEM ARE WEAK AND INCAPABLE OF COPING WITH LIFE, AND THEIR VISIONS LIE FAR BEYOND THEIR ABILITY TO FULFILL THEM. HE ALSO SAYS THAT TOO MUCH EMPHASIS HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE POSSIBILITY - WHICH IS ACTUALLY SMALL - THAT AN OFFENDER MIGHT KILL A HOSTAGE. IT IS MERELY ONE OF SEVERAL RISKS INVOLVED, BUT IN WEST GERMANY PROTECTING THE LIVES OF HOSTAGES HAS BEEN MADE THE PRIMARY MISSION. HE RECOMMENDS THAT INSTEAD, THE POLICE BE INSTRUCTED TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO PROTECTING THE LIVES OF HOSTAGES BUT WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THEIR OTHER TASK - APPREHENDING THE OFFENDERS. HOWEVER, PRESERVING THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY THAT MUST BE KEP IN MIND. ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRANSLATION OF NCJ-28157 AND NCJ 28959.