STUDY OF HOSTAGE-TAKING - A SYSTEM APPROACH (FROM HOSTAGE-TAKING - PROBLEMS OF PREVENTION AND CONTROL MANAGEMENT TRAINING SEMINAR - FINAL REPORT, 1976, BY R D CRELINSTEN AND D LABERGE-ALTMEJD - SEE NCJ-49367)

• NCJ Number: 49368
• Author(s): R CRELINSTEN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 42 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Maryland; Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: FROM MANAGEMENT TRAINING SEMINAR, 'HOSTAGE-TAKING PROBLEMS OF PREVENTION AND CONTROL', SANTA-MARGHERITA, ITALY, MAY 13-15, 1976

Annotation

A MODEL IS DEVELOPED IN WHICH HOSTAGE-TAKING IS DIVIDED INTO ELEMENTS, FOLLOWED BY AN EXAMINATION OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE MODEL FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF THOSE WHO WOULD PREVENT AND CONTROL HOSTAGE-TAKING.

Abstract

THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF HOSTAGE-TAKING IS CONSIDERED TO BE ITS TRIANGULAR EFFECT THAT INVOLVES THE HOSTAGE, THE HOSTAGE-TAKER, AND THE THIRD PARTY FROM WHOM THE HOSTAGE-TAKER DEMANDS SOMETHING. THE INTERACTION OF THESE ELEMENTS IS ANALYZED IN TERMS OF THEIR APPLICABILITY AND GENERALIZABILITY TO CONCRETE SITUATIONS OR INCIDENTS. VARIOUS TYPOLOGIES OF HOSTAGE-TAKING THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED ARE DISCUSSED, AND PERSPECTIVES ARE EXAMINED FROM WHICH HOSTAGE-TAKING CAN BE VIEWED TO DETERMINE WHICH TYPOLOGIES ARE MOST USEFUL IN ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS OF THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEM. THE PERSPECTIVES EXAMINED INCLUDE; 1) PREVENTION PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE OFFENDER, VICTIM, AND CONTEXT TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED RELEVANT; 2) POLICE PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE THE RESPONSE TYPOLOGY IS SIGNIFICANT; 3) LEGAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE THREAT TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED USEFUL IN PROVIDING SOME BASIS FOR RELATING HOSTAGE-TAKING LAWS TO LAWS INVOLVING OTHER KINDS OF THREATS AND CONSTRAINTS; 4) POTENTIAL VICTIMS PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE DEMAND TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED RELEVANT; 5) TARGET PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE CONTEXT, DEMAND, AND VICTIM TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED; 6) PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES ARE INVOLVED; AND 7) THE SOCIOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHICH VIEWS HOSTAGE-TAKING AS A MECHANISM FOR INSURING THAT CERTAIN SOCIAL CONTRACTS ARE PERFORMED. (RCB)