About the authors: James M. Poland is a professor of criminal justice at California State University, Sacramento. He received his PhD in social science from Michigan State University. He is the author of numerous articles on terrorism and hostage crisis i
2000 0-7734-7877-9 The tragedies of failed negotiations and tactical rescue attempts at Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the Good Guys electronic store highlight the difficulty of peacefully resolving hostage/crisis situations. The volatility of hostage-taking events, especially terrorist hostage takers, demonstrates the complicated challenges negotiators and tactical response teams face as they attempt to resolve hostage/crisis events. This text provides practical, tactical, and legal information concerning the interactive strategies of hostage negotiations. One of its major strengths is a comprehensive review of the legal perspectives related to hostage-taking incidents. The text is well-documented and draws on the experience of scholars and practitioners in an effort to provide the best information on determining the outcome of hostage-taking events. It ads to the behavioral science literature associated with the complicated process of hostage negotiations. The book is a blend of theory, research, practical, and legal discussion that makes it a valuable contribution to the literature on hostage negotiations.