Term Paper on "Crisis Negotiation"

Quoted Instructions for "Crisis Negotiation" Assignment:

Scenario Analysis

Bradley is a 26 year old male who married his high school sweetheart, Susan. Bradley served two years in Iraq. Since returning he and Susan haven*****t been getting along. Bradley drinks often and verbally abuses Susan when he is drunk. He is very jealous and over-protective of Susan. They are expecting their first child. Susan attends classes at a local college and has been spending more and more time at the college and away from home and. Bradley has heard Susan talk frequently about her professor. He becomes violently jealous and suspects that Susan is having an affair with the professor. He then begins to wonder if the expected child is even his.

Bradley goes to the college to confront Susan and the professor. He is observed entering the classroom in army fatigues and carrying an Army duffle bag. Bradley is armed with an unknown number of weapons. He barricades the doors holding Susan, the professor, and nine other students against their will. The police are notified. They respond and contain the scene. You, the negotiator, are now on the scene.

Part 1

The Commanding Officer calls. He advises you that a tactical assault team is ready to storm the building if you make significant progress in the negotiation. You make numerous calls into the classroom. The phone is answered by some of the students being held. They are frightened and crying. Bradley is heard screaming in the background that no one is leaving the room alive unless he can work some things out with his cheating wife. He refuses to get on the phone and talk to you.

Identify whether this is a hostage or non-hostage incident.

Identify and explain what stage of crisis Bradley is in at this time.

Is this incident negotiable? Explain why it is or isn*****t negotiable.

Part 2

After some time and continuous calls into the classroom Bradley answers the phone and speaks with you. Initially he is very upset and hangs up on you often. He rants about his service in Iraq and his unappreciative wife cheating on him at home. As time progresses, he begins to calm down, stays on the phone for longer periods of time, and begins to ask questions of you regarding how much trouble he may be in, how long he will have to go to jail, etc. He tells you he isn*****t looking to hurt anybody, but isn*****t ready to let anyone go. He then tells you that he will consider letting five of the students go for some food, a bottle of whiskey, and a promise that he doesn*****t have to do any jail time.

Identify and explain Bradley*****s instrumental and expressive demands. In this incident do you think one type of demand is more important to Bradley than the other? Why?

Identify and explain what stage of a crisis Bradley is in now.

How might you handle his demands?

Would you provide Bradley the alcohol for the release of some hostages? Why or why not?

What might you consider when deciding whether to provide the alcohol? How would you handle this demand?

Part 3

You have been negotiating now for about three hours. Nobody has been released, but no one has been injured. You are notified by command that the tactical team is going to assault the classroom in 30 minutes.

Do you think making a tactical assault to resolve the situation under these circumstances is appropriate? Why or why not?

What could you do or have done as a negotiator to assist the tactical team with their pending assault? Explain how that would help them.