You Can NotNegotiate Everything or the Times They Are a Changin'

ABSTRACT

Hostage negotiation technique is premised on three elements: negotiations, containment, and time. When all are present the technique works well. However, if we examine negotiations at the local, national, and international levels these elements are often missing. At the local level, suicide-by-cop situations often lack all three elements. Nationally, active shooters, such as those at Columbine High School, also lack these elements. Internationally, as in the war on terror, negotiations are often irrelevant. So law enforcement's attempt to solve problems through negotiations, that is, to avoid violence and to treat people more humanely, sometimes fails.

Key Words:

• Hostage negotiation
• suicide-by-cop
• active shooter
• swat team
• terrorism