Negotiating with Mentally Disordered Hostage Takers

ABSTRACT

Mentally disordered hostage takers (HTs) present special challenges to negotiating strategies; however, the basic principles of successful negotiation and crisis intervention can be productively applied, as long as the crisis response team keeps the unique features of these subjects in mind. This article presents an outline of guiding principles and techniques for negotiating with the most common forms of mentally disordered HT that are likely to be encountered by law enforcement professionals. As always, the emphasis is on skill, training, and flexibly applied expertise and knowledge in the field of crisis management.

Key Words:

• Hostage negotiations
• crisis negotiations
• negotiation psychology
• mentally ill hostage takers
• crisis intervention