Research - How Hostage Negotiation Works

Prolonging the situation is a very important part of hostage negotiation because the longer the hostage situation lasts, the more likely it is to end peacefully with nobody being hurt.

One thing that is crucial is that the negotiator asks open ended questions and not yes or no questions as this increases the likelihood of getting the psychopath on the negotiator's side.

Ensuring the safety of the hostage is another important thing to bear in mind. It is important that the hostage is kept safe because they can provide essential details about the location, the habits of the captors and the other hostages.

Keeping things calm is crucial when dealing with psychopaths as it reduces any threat of violence being used against both the negotiator or the hostage.

By using minimal encouragers, such as brief statements it allows the captor to know that the negotiator is listening to them and responding in a non-opinionated manner which effectively conveys that the negotiator is paying attention and listening to the pints being made by the captor. These responses will encourage the subject to continue talking and gradually relinquish more control of the situation to the negotiator.

Overall, the important things for a negotiator to bear in mind is that it is important for them to stay calm collected and remain on the captor side until the safety of the hostage is secured.