Table of Contents
Identify whether this is a hostage or non-hostage incident?
This is a hostage incident since all the actions suit the definition of a hostage scenario. According to the American law, a hostage is any person taken by another person with a view to having some conditions fulfilled before they are released (Grabianowski, 2017). Most of the times, the conditions include doing something or not doing something. In both situations, the hostage-taker is the beneficiary of the fulfilment of the conditions (Grabianowski, 2017). In Bradley and Susan’s case, Bradley takes Susan against her will. He also takes nine other students and the professor he accuses of having an affair with Susan. He promises to kill all of them if he and his wife do not work out something. Therefore, the incident has all the components of a hostage incident.
Identify and explain what stage of crisis Bradley is in at this time.
Bradley is in level three of crisis, risk behaviour. People in this level of crisis are characterized by performing actions that endanger their lives or those of the people around them (Eilers, 2017). This is exactly what Bradley does since he takes hostage people, the majority of who are innocent, and threatens to kill them. This point is the climax of his crisis.
Is this incident negotiable? Explain why it is or is not negotiable.
This incident is negotiable because the hostage-taker, Bradley, has given a condition that can at least be fulfilled. The condition is: working out something with his cheating wife. Despite the fact that his refusal to talk to me on the phone makes the negotiation process difficult, I can still lure him into negotiating by making him believe that his wife is ready to have the deal he wants struck. Once he gives me his attention, I will go on to convince him to let the nine students go and instead strike the deal with his wife.
- Eilers, E. (2017). CPI’s crisis development model puts crisis in perspective.
- Grabianowski, E. (2017). How hostage negotiation works.