Crisis negotiation is a

law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...

technique used to communicate with people who are threatening violenceStrentz, Thomas (2006). ''Psychological aspects of crisis negotiation.'' CRC Press, (

workplace violence Workplace violence, violence in the workplace, or occupational violence refers to violence, usually in the form of physical abuse or threat, that creates a risk to the health and safety of an employee or multiple employees. The National Institut ...

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

, or

terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...

), including

barricade Barricade (from the French ''barrique'' - 'barrel') is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. Adopted as a military term, a barricade denotes ...

d subjects,

stalkers Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance or contact by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring t ...

, criminals attempting to escape or evade arrest, and

hostage A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized—such as a relative, employer, law enforcement, or government—to act, o ...

-takers.Defense Information Access Network,

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(1987). ''Hostage negotiation: a matter of life and death.'' DIANE Publishing, Crisis negotiation is often initiated by the first officer(s) on the scene.

History

Modern hostage negotiation principles were established in 1972 when

New York City Police Department The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...

detective

Harvey Schlossberg Harvey Schlossberg (January 27, 1936May 21, 2021) was a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, Freudian psychoanalyst, and the founder of modern crisis negotiation. He founded the Psychological Services Department in the NYPD, where he p ...

, also a psychologist, recognized the need for trained personnel in crisis intervention. Schlossberg had worked on the

David Berkowitz David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco; June 1, 1953), also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer and former U.S. Army soldier who committed a series of stabbings and shootings between 1 ...

("Son of Sam") case, and had instituted other psychological principles in police work, including

psychological screening A psychiatric assessment, or psychological screening, is the process of gathering information about a person within a psychiatric service, with the purpose of making a diagnosis. The assessment is usually the first stage of a treatment process, but ...

of police applicants. Schlossberg's negotiation strategies were used during the

1973 Brooklyn hostage crisis The 1973 Brooklyn hostage crisis occurred when four robbers in Brooklyn, New York City, took hostages and engaged in a standoff with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) over the course of 47 hours from January 19 to January 21, 1973. O ...

and were crucial in ensuring the peaceful resolution of the standoff. The first hostage negotiators were often deployed as elements of

police tactical units The police are a constituted body of people empowered by a state with the aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public order as well as the public itself. This commonly includes ensuring the safety, health, and possessions of citizens ...

and merely created a diversion while they deployed. In modern usage, while sometimes acting independently, hostage negotiation teams are often deployed in conjunction with police tactical units, with the tactical teams only sent in should negotiations fail. The

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

Crisis Negotiation Unit (which developed the Behavioral Change Stairway Model) and

Singapore Police Force The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal Police, law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; hum ...

Crisis Negotiation Unit are examples of specialized units trained in these techniques.

Behavioral Change Stairway Model

One specific model developed by the FBI is the Behavioral Change Stairway Model. Police negotiators that follow this model work through the following stages in order: # ''Active Listening'': Understand the psychology of the perpetrator and let them know they are being listened to. # ''Empathy'': Understand their issues and how they feel. # ''Rapport'': When they begin to see how the negotiator feels, they are building trust. # ''Influence'': Only once trust has been gained can solutions to their problem be recommended. # ''Behavioral Change'': They act, and maybe surrender. It is considered to be important to work through these steps in order, and not to try to effect behavioral change before rapport has been established.

References

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External links

“Crisis” or “Hostage” Negotiation? - The Distinction Between Two Important Terms

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

Hostage Negotiations for the First Responder - Missouri POST (Police Officers Standards and Training) Approved Technical Training Course: © 2011 Jonathan Greenstein and Creative Management ConsultantsHostage Negotiations Panel DiscussionHostage Negotiations by Jonathan GreensteinHostage Negotiations Panel Discussion at CSI
Law enforcement Negotiation *