In prison settings, the various police divisions require to deal with hostage situations that depict massive differences from geopolitical instances. Prisoners and psychologically disturbed persons take hostages to use them as bargaining chips in acquiring compliance on certain matters or in a bid to articulate the emotional or psychological needs (Guszkowski & Van Hasselt, 2017). In other cases, hostage taking applies as an endeavor at achieving individual influence by persons caught while committing an offense, or by inmates with a prolonged experience of an enduring sense and feeling of powerlessness. In recent years, situations of hostage taking within prisons throughout the country have occurred at unprecedented rates. Through progressively affording prisoners particular rights and assurances through the justice system, inmates constantly seek to have improved treatment, healthier conditions of living, and other freedoms only reserved for prison administrators. Apart from legal means of voicing concerns, the single redress inmates remain with involves taking penitentiary property and holding hostages typically prison workforce in bargaining (Guszkowski & Van Hasselt, 2017). When a hostage situation occurs, corrections have to use a negotiator in gaining a favorable outcome that would otherwise be unachievable through violent means. Through various steps such as threat assessment, interviewing, persuasion, and other tactics, it remains crucial for the negotiator to carefully resolve the situation while safeguarding the hostages from harm.
The scenario at hand involves a hostage situation where an inmate named Alfredo Albondigas holds two amenities maintenance workers as well as a corrections officer hostage. While holding them in a cell block, Alfredo Albondigas claims that the cell block contains aliens from a different planet and demands that they vacate immediately. Understanding the situation further reveals that the individual has issued an ultimatum indicating that failure to see the aliens in their flying saucer departing through the exercise yard area in 2 hours will result in the death of the hostages. He also insists that the maintenance workers in hostage make gestures to the aliens about the other inmates and himself. Armed with a handmade knife and with his head covered in aluminum foil, Mr. Albondigas requires the fulfilment of the stated demands.
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Mental State of the Offender
From the scenario, the hostage-taker seems to suffer from impaired judgment as a result of a mental disorder. His mental state could be described as unstable as his actions seem founded on fear and delusion as he seems incapable of distinguishing real things from imaginary ones (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). Being mentally disturbed, the inmate has taken hostages for the reason that aliens stalk him within the cell block. It clearly appears that Mr. Albondigas suffers from hallucinations or delusions and seems to respond to the same. The hallucinations instil a sense of hopelessness in him, prompting the measure of hostage taking to try and improve the situation. From the presented facts on Mr. Albondigas, it is clear that some mental disorders afflict the inmate.
Possible Mental Disorders Plaguing the Offender
Delusional Disorder
Delusional disorder, formerly referred to as paranoid disorder, is a form of severe mental illness known as psychosis where the afflicted individual cannot distinguish between real things and imagined things (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). The central manifestation of the disorder involves the existence of delusions, unwavering views in something untrue or not founded on reality. Mr. Albondigas affirms the existence of aliens that stalk the inmates and himself within their cellblock. That alone indicates a delusion and a belief in something not grounded on reality. Although individuals suffering from delusional disorder largely go through experiences of non-bizarre delusions, some consist of circumstances that might take place in real life. For instance, delusions of being conspired against, followed, or stalked. At large, such delusions typically involve the misconstruction of observations or misunderstanding some experiences (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). In actual life, though, the claimed situations either contain massive exaggerations or have their basis on untrue perceptions. As for the case at hand, the delusion involves aliens stalking the inmates, hence a bizarre-type of delusion is at hand. It is for a fact that aliens have their foundation on imagination and fiction and simply do not happen in reality.
From various studies, individuals afflicted by delusional disorder often remain capable of sustaining social relationships and normal functions except for the issue of the delusions. Largely, such persons depict normal behavior without any obviously noticeable strange or bizarre behavior. This sharply contrasts with individuals suffering from other psychotic illnesses, who as well might experience delusions as part of the symptoms of the mental disorder. In a number of cases, still, persons with delusional disorder may turn into excessive preoccupation with the delusions, which results in a significant disruption in their lives (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). Even though delusions might occur as part of other mental disorders, most notable schizophrenia, the case at hand depicts the occurrence of delusional disorder. Mr. Albondigas depicts delusional disorder through the significant disruption in his life, to the extent of taking hostages under the influence of the delusions.
As the symptoms presented clearly point out the existence of delusional disorder, it is nonetheless important to distinguish the particular type of delusional disorder affecting the inmate. Scholars point out diverse categories of delusional disorder constructed on the central subject of the experienced delusions including Erotomania, Delusional Parasitosis, Cotard Delusion and Persecutory Delusion (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). From the various types of delusional disorder in existences, the case at hand shows that the person seems to suffer from Persecutory type of delusional disorder. Mr. Albondigas’ symptoms fall in line with documented evidence where individuals with this kind of delusional disorder express certainty of being victimized, or being spied upon with the spy intending to inflict harm on them. It is common for persons with persecutory type of delusional disorder to present recurring complaints to the authorities in charge. The presence of hallucinations also forms another symptom of the disorder as the inmate claims to seeing aliens that are non-existent in reality. As such, it is highly possible that persecutory delusion type of delusional disorder is one of the mental conditions affecting Mr. Albondigas.
Schizophrenia
The second mental condition that seems apparent in Mr. Albondigas’ case is Schizophrenia. Being a serious mental disorder, schizophrenia results in the distortion of the manner in which an individual thinks, behaves, perceives reality, conveys emotions, and engages with others. Persons suffering from schizophrenia, which stands as one of the most protracted and incapacitating conditions among the main mental disorders, repeatedly depict difficulties in functioning within the society. Often, Schizophrenia renders the afflicted subject terrified and reserved. In contrast to common perceptions, schizophrenia encompasses psychosis, a form of mental disorder that renders a person incapable of telling the real things from the imagined things (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). At times, such individuals lose touch with the real world and it may appear full of perplexing images and thoughts.
Individuals with schizophrenia depict various symptoms relating to changes in thinking, functioning, perception of reality and behavior. As a long-standing mental disorder, it usually takes time before expression of psychosis, which take weeks or up to a number of years. Sometimes the diagnosis of the condition presents difficulties in recognizing it for the reason that it commonly has no definite trigger. Some of the outstanding symptoms presented by individuals with schizophrenia include having experiences that have irrational and exaggerated forms of thinking. More specifically, the symptoms have no basis in reality and characteristically fall under the category of psychotic symptoms. Afflicted individuals depict odd beliefs that fundamentally lack a basis in reality. Worse still, such persons stubbornly cling to their beliefs with a total refusal to give up such beliefs, even after being offered factual and real information (Kelleher & DeVylder, 2017). In the case of Mr. Albondigas, the delusions suffered result in beliefs that aliens reside in his cellblock and spy on him and other inmates with the aim of harming them. This resonates with documented cases of schizophrenia where individuals claim that other people, in this case the maintenance staff, have been conspiring with aliens against them. Ultimately, the aspect of hallucinations conspicuously exists in the case as the person perceives unreal beings, namely aliens from another planet.
Scene personnel
The situation at hand requires the use of personnel with advanced skills in psychiatry to provide comprehensive and practical analysis of the mental illness and personality disorders pertinent to facilitating the role of the hostage negotiator. The aim of having such personnel is to support the hostage negotiator in recognizing and ascertaining the different disorders and mental conditions and assisting in establishing the best way of circumventing the different typologies presented by the hostage taker (Augustin & Fagan, 2011). It also means that the psychiatrist, who is endowed with various skills will make important suggestions that will enhance the resolution of the standoff.
Without doubt, the psychiatrist’s experience makes them familiar with the different criteria of diagnosing using the features and symptoms of particular brain disorders. The capability extends to being aware of the various nonverbal and verbal approaches for hostage negotiation in the situation that involves a person with various forms of mental disorders. A mental health expert bridges the gap between the police officers and to a great extent, digs into the person’s needs to identify the underlying factor. Furthermore, the interaction between the psychiatrist and the hostage taker facilitates police work in addressing the safety issues presented in the scenario (Augustin & Fagan, 2011). As pointed in the case, contact has been established with the mentally ill hostage taker through a throw phone that allows a direct phone communication with Mr. Albondigas. Since the phone’s design allows hearing after the person hangs up, this can be used by the psychiatrist to determine the necessary strategy as the events unfold in the room where Mr. Albondigas is with the hostages. It also becomes possible to use the psychiatrist’s assistance, information and guidance in making responses to the demands made by Mr. Albondigas. Thus, the choice of a psychiatrist is based on the fact that their expert input comes in handy and can be relied upon in negotiating with the hostage taker who has made bizarre demands.
Threat Assessment
Notably, hostage rescue involving mentally ill hostage takers present one of the most volatile and precarious situations facing the negotiator. As a matter of fact, the crisis situation at hand presents the possibility of violence, severe bodily harm, and death as Mr. Albondigas insists on killing the hostages once the two-hour ultimatum elapses. The most remarkable dimension of the current hostage-taking instance is that it has occurred in a correctional facility. As such, it is expected that the hostage taker, who is an inmate, is well-acquainted with the routine and the setting. In other words, the offender is not in an unfamiliar position or locale. As a result, it means that using the element of surprise remains unsuccessful since the captor will be oversensitive and responsive to any sudden movement or incident (Guszkowski & Van Hasselt, 2017). Therefore, the need to use a standard threat assessment process remains relevant towards establishing an effective means of safely resolving the crisis situation and avoiding the risk of harm to the hostages.
In the assessment, taking a proactive tactic in planning as well as obtaining a complete evaluation that includes the tactical strategies available form a significant component towards resolving the standoff. The first step involves communicating with the hostage taker to establish their major demands and timelines. It also allows for assessing the hostage taker’s reputation for violent behavior and history of the same (Guszkowski & Van Hasselt, 2017). In this case, assessing Mr. Albondigas’ temperament offers a promise of determining the process of negotiations. Where their history depicts minimal or no violence, it promises a less complicated negotiations process. The second step involves assessing the hostage taker’s planning and strictness to their timeline. From the facts presented, it is apparent that Mr. Albondigas engaged in some form of planning since he made a knife and secured his head using an aluminum foil. His location suggests that he took time to ensure a position not likely to expose him to police fire.
The third step involves assessing the relationship between Mr. Albondigas and the correctional officers. Since an ongoing relationship exists, both material and relationship aspects need be taken into consideration. The degree of trust in the presented situation, and the duration of time needed by the negotiator to obtain the hostage taker’s trust, rests on the relationship’s history (Guszkowski & Van Hasselt, 2017). Clearly, the level of trust seems minimal between the captor and the officers as evidenced by his suspicions. The other step involves distinguishing between the interests and positions expressed by Mr. Albondigas. It involves determining the suicidal position taken, as well as the readiness to adjust the ultimatum on the time period to have the demands fulfilled.
Whether or not the hostages will be killed depends on the history of the person involved, and the reliability of threats issued. The assessment shows the possibility of the person to be willing to change the demands through demystifying the delusion. Furthermore, the nature of the hostage situation indicates that the subject’s aim is not to die, but rather, to have their demands met. With the needed psychiatric assistance, the subject will adjust the demands and extend more time in solving the situation. Ultimately, the fact that a negotiation process and willingness to negotiate clearly manifests, the apparent risk of having the hostages killed is low as compared to a situation without willingness to negotiate.
Negotiation Tactics, Approach, and Interview Strategy
The negotiator requires to uses exceptional tactics, approaches, and weapons in resolving the hostage situation. Rather than having weaponries such as a handgun, pepper spray, or rifles, the negotiator has to use patience, listening, understanding, compassion, and persuasion (McMains & Mullins, 2014). In this scenario, the negotiators need to have the art of convincing the person to follow their instructions without provoking them into resistance or fight. As such, the skills and capabilities of the negotiator clearly form a crucial part in determining the outcome of the hostage situation. In beginning the process, the tactics by which the negotiator abides with in the crisis situation largely depends on the conduct of the hostage-taker.
However, a major tactic involves the use of de-escalation methods as they serve a crucial function in lessening the tension presenting in the situation. Accordingly, a well-trained negotiator has the necessary skills and knowledge on the appropriate manner of de-escalating and safely resolving the standoff (McMains & Mullins, 2014). In making direct negotiations with the hostage taker, it is expected for the normal cycle to take place where the hostage taker issues demands at the start as a result of frustration and anger. In turn, the negotiator commences the discussion with the hostage taker with the aim of engaging the individual. As the process continues, the individual shifts to a brief phase of withdrawal where, in trying to affirm control, he might choose not to communicate. At this point, the negotiator acts attentively with the aim of building trust and forming a calm environment for a fruitful discussion. Depending on the scenario at hand and the assessment, it becomes necessary to determine whether or not to deploy a negotiator who is part of the facility workforce or to use a different negotiator.
In this case, being the negotiator, one of the persons to involve in the interview is the corrections officer. With his experience in the facility, he possesses a high degree of familiarity with the prisoner and might offer crucial insights into the subject’s intentions and characteristics. Such information helps in determining the approach in engaging the hostage taker. Another person is the inmate’s closest friend or cellmate. Such persons will reveal crucial information on the subject’s relationship with other prisoners and his preferences. Furthermore, interviewing an inmate will result in improved perception on the negotiator as seeking to advance the inmates’ interests and concerns (McMains & Mullins, 2014). The third person to be interviewed will be a close relative who has previously lived with the subject. The interview will reveal any previous incidences and supporting information that can be used to build trust with the hostage taker.
After a substantial time period elapses, the negotiator has to communicate with Mr. Albondigas to verify the actual weight behind the inmate’s demands. Since the situation involves only one hostage taker, all communication will be directed to him. It will also allow for a fruitful discussion as it involves only two persons hence eliminating instances of chaotic intrusions that present with multiple people. Mr. Albondigas’ demands revolve around delusions and hallucinations, which make the case particularly intriguing and difficult at the same time. Using the information from the interviews, the negotiator needs to avoid false promises but to focus on a way of ensuring that the inmate obtains the services of psychiatrist to regularly check on him. As soon as the inmate comes to an agreement with the negotiator, a formalized procedure will be carried out to ensure a peaceful conclusion of the hostage situation with the inmate feeling assured of his safety.
Conclusion
The process of hostage negotiation involves careful planning and consideration to ensure that the hostages suffer no harm. The major step involves establishing contact with the hostage taker to establish the demands and begin the process of negotiation. In the case of Mr. Albondigas, the fact that he suffers from mental disorders complicates the process, requiring the involvement of a psychiatrist. Although the process seems totally difficult, using the right approaches results in building trust and ensuring an effective negotiation process. Ultimately, the negotiator’s skills remain as the major determining factor in the overall outcome of the situation.
References
Augustin, D., & Fagan, T. J. (2011). Roles for mental health professionals in critical law enforcement incidents: An overview. Psychological Services , 8(3), 166-177.
Guszkowski, K. N., & Van Hasselt, V. B. (2017). Crisis (Hostage) Negotiations. In Handbook of Behavioral Criminology (pp. 591-610). Springer, Cham.
Kelleher, I., & DeVylder, J. E. (2017). Hallucinations in borderline personality disorder and common mental disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry , 210(3), 230-231.
McMains, M. J., & Mullins, W. C. (2014). Crisis negotiations . Elsevier Science.
