Crisis Intervention & Negotiation Flashcards
Is a planned or unplanned siege easier to negotiate?
Unplanned.
What is the difference between an instrumental and expressive hostage?
An instrumental hostage is up for trade as a means of resolving the situation. An expressive hostage is the direct object of the hostage taker’s anger.
What is an incidental third party?
Someone who’s in the crisis site but is neither an instrumental or expressive hostage (and might not even be a hostage at all).
What are the 12 elements that indicate a likelihood for a successful negotiation?
Containment
Desire to live by the subject
A substantive demand
Singular message by law enforcement
Time
A trained negotiator
Understanding subject motivation
Accurate assessment of the incident
Negotiator viewed as an instrument of help
Negotiator can speak to the primary decision maker
Low risk of violence
Deliberate strategy between the negotiation and tac teams.
What are the 3 C’s of initial violence risk?
Containment, communication, and context (was there violence before CNT arrived?)
What are the 3 elements of communication during a negotiation?
The communicators, the message, and the environment
What are the 5 steps in the Behavioral Influence Stairway Model?
Active listening, empathy, rapport, influence, and behavior change
What are the 3 elements of rapport?
Mutual attention, mutual positivity, and coordination/cooperation
What are 5 barriers to successful communication?
Filtering
Judging
The drive to be victorious
Problem solving
Appeasing (minimal encouragers without actually listening)
What is the most effective active listening skill for someone who is shouting at you, threatening you, or demeaning you?
Silence. They’ll stop and ask, “You there?” Then, you reflect and move on.
What are 4 indicators that rapport has been built?
Them using your words, asking you for advice, doing things you ask them to (especially if they were resistant earlier), and “If I did…” talk.
What is verbal containment?
The concept that says if someone is talking to you, they’re not hurting themselves or someone else.
What is a phrase you can use to minimize expectations for someone’s demand?
“What you’re asking for is difficult under ideal circumstances. Can we both agree these are not ideal circumstances?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll check with my command post. In the meantime, what can you do from your end to make this decision easier for them?”
Why shouldn’t the primary watch live video footage of the subject?
They might see something on video that the subject hasn’t told them and then reveal it to the subject. The primary shouldn’t know that piece of info, which kills rapport.
Why is time helpful in a negotiation?
Time allows the body to metabolize drugs, alcohol, and cortisol. Time also allows basic needs to build, which can be used as negotiation points.
What are the 3 steps to respond to a demand?
Acknowledge, soften (if they say an AK 47 with XYZ attachment, just call it a gun when you summarize), avoid building expectations
What do you do when a subject gives you a timeline for the demand?
Talk through it.
What are signs a subject is serious about enforcing a deadline?
Direct threat to a hostage, not allowed previous deadlines to pass, counting down, and previous violence in the crisis
What is the biggest risk of a TPI, and how do you mediate it?
Risk: the subject and the TPI don’t actually have a good relationship
Mitigation: ask the subject how they feel about the TPI (if they didn’t bring up the TPI) and get the TPI on recording instead of live
How can MHPs help in the intelligence gathering process?
They can get access to medical records as a clinician themselves.
What are some symptoms of high-THC marijuana use?
Psychosis (delusions and hallucinations) that is caused by brain damage and is incurable
What is the relationship between marijuana and psych meds?
Marijuana negates the effects of psych meds.
What are the 3 dynamics for someone who’s considering suicide?
Decreased fear of death, feelings of burdensomeness, and feeling disconnected from others
Are people with SMIs more likely to be a victim or a suspect?
Victim
What are the 5 most common diagnoses of people involved in crisis situation?
ASPD, depression, bi-polar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and schizophrenia
What are 5 follow-up questions to ask if someone endorses command hallucinations?
What are they telling you?
Have they told you this before?
How long have they been telling you this?
Have you ever acted on what they’re telling you?
What’s stopped you from acting on them?
In someone’s criminal history, what might indicate an ASPD diagnosis?
Serial persons crimes (murder, rape, assault, etc)
What are the two psychological defense mechanisms of someone with ASPD?
Projecting blame and rationalizing their behavior
Should you use TPIs with someone with ASPD?
No, unless it’s a person of authority who can guarantee the validity of your deal.
What behaviors are likely manipulative if coming from someone with ASPD?
Remorse and politeness/deferentialism
Should you divulge personal information to someone with ASPD?
No.
“I can maybe share more with you when we’re done, but we have protocols that prevent me from sharing that right now.”
“My life’s not that interesting. Let’s talk about yours.”
“I know a lot of people who have kids, but I’m most interested in your experience having kids.”
What is the best strategy for negotiating with someone with ASPD?
Be direct, but not adversarial. Focus on what they have to gain from cooperating.
What is the gender breakdown for people with borderline personality disorder?
Mostly women. If there’s a male stalker, he likely has borderline personality disorder.
What do subjects with ASPD and borderline personality disorder have in common?
Both express a lack of empathy or guilt. Both also will manipulate you, but people with ASPD do it from a position of strength, whereas people with borderline personality disorder do it from a position of weakness.
What are challenges in building rapport with someone with borderline personality disorder?
Rapport is slow to build because they don’t trust easily due to a history of abandonment or trauma, and they may have massive emotional outbursts.
What is the best negotiation strategy for someone with borderline personality disorder?
Tend to their fears of alienation without promising anything you can’t deliver and while enforcing strong boundaries.
How frequently do people with bipolar disorder cycle between mania and depression?
Every few months. More than 4 cycles per year is considered rapid.
What’s the difference between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2?
Bipolar 1 has at least one weeklong+ period of mania with psychosis. Bipolar 2 has at least one two-week-long period of depression.
What is the hedonistic triad related to bipolar disorder?
When manic, people overspend (money), engage in risky sexual activities (sex), and indulge in substances (drugs).
When is the greatest risk of suicide for someone with bipolar disorder?
During the swing from mania to depression or vice versa
Why is there a risk of murder-suicide with someone with bipolar disorder?
They may want to spare others the pain of living in such a difficult world and will kill them and then themselves.
What might a sudden improvement in mood indicate in someone with depression?
They’ve decided they’re ready to kill themselves.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. What’s causing that change for you?” –> “I know what I need to do now” is a bad sign.
What is a good negotiation strategy for someone with depression?
Get them to do a small self-care thing like eating a sandwich.
What is violence usually motivated by in someone with schizophrenia?
Self-protection or protection of belongings
What gender is the most effective at negotiating with someone with schizophrenia?
Someone of the opposite sex of the subject
What is a common substance dependency for someone with schizophrenia?
Nicotine, to reduce medication side effects
Of the five most common diagnoses that appear in crisis situations, which is most likely to respond well to a TPI?
Someone with schizophrenia
What two elements are necessary for a crisis to occur?
A threatening situation and an inability to problem-solve that threat
What does it mean to uncover the precipitant?
Find what specific emotion about a specific life event led to today’s crisis instead of digging through their entire psychiatric history.
Note: The precipitant is the thought or feeling aroused by the precipitating event. It’s not the loss of a job, for example, it’s the helplessness and uselessness that arose from it.
True or false: it is sometimes helpful to confront clients with the unrealistic or maladaptive nature of their goals, lifestyle, or beliefs and point out the negative consequences of current behavior patterns.
True.
What is the danger of diagnosing in a crisis setting?
It may blind the diagnostician to the manageable critical events and instead focus them on the effects of long-term pathology.
What six things must a clinician assess about a client in a crisis situation?
Current level of functioning
Emotional state
Pre-morbid adjustment (how well someone functioned before the onset of symptoms, specifically psychotic symptoms)
Manner of relating
Current life stresses
Level of motivation for treatment
What is the relationship between socioeconomic status and clients’ expectations of interventions?
Lower SES clients expect shorter, solution-focused work and may become suspicious and uncooperative if long-term treatment is suggested, and vice versa.
True or false: if someone is coping well with a recent traumatic event, that trauma might not be what’s causing their crisis tonight.
True. Dig into other domains of their life (work, family, relationship, etc) to try and find the true precipitant. This process also works if the client doesn’t know what the precipitating event was.
What four elements should be assessed to determine a client’s psychological functioning?
Physical appearance and behaviors, speech, thought and cognition (organized thinking), and affect (mood)
What is the potential downside to providing psychiatric medications in a crisis intervention setting?
The client’s motivation to solve the underlying problem might be reduced because they feel better.
When brainstorming new coping mechanisms, what’s the first question you should ask?
What have you done in the past in similar situations?
What is behavioral task assignment?
Giving the client homework (breathing exercises, saying “no” to a difficult child, etc) to do in between interactions with you (and maybe giving them an opportunity to practice it with you)
If a client suddenly raises new problems or regresses in their progress right as you’re about to end the interaction, what might that indicate?
Fear/sadness about the end of the interaction with you. Validate those emotions and emphasize the progress made.
How does someone who projects blame onto others view themselves?
As a victim
Is it worth trying to prove to a habitually projecting person that they are not, in fact, the victim?
No
What is an effective way to say “not now” instead of saying “no” while using the tool of time?
Quote rules and regulations that will complicate the process.
For example, if a subject hijacked a plan from Seattle to France, ask about a visa or passport, talk about how many refueling stops it will have to take, etc.
For another example, if he requests coffee, go into the weeds about what type, from where, how much sugar, etc.
What is the risk of letting someone with ASPD leave with a hostage?
People with ASPD see hostages as tools to their escape, and once their escape is achieved, the tool is no longer needed and will probably be killed or hurt.
True or false: calling a hostage “bitch, broad, etc” versus their name is a bad sign.
True
What are the best three ways of assuaging a hostage’s fear?
Let them vent and tell their story of stress and fear. Assure them you are doing everything you can to get them out safely. Let them know it might take longer than expected, but that we have a long track record of getting everyone out safely.
What is a language cue by the hostage that indicates the beginnings of Stockholm Syndrome?
Use of “we” language - for example, “we’re waiting for you to deliver the money.”
If someone is off their meds, is it a good idea to encourage them to take their meds during a negotiation?
No. You don’t know how long they’ve been off, what other substances they may have ingested that may have negative interactions, etc.
What is one way to reduce repeat suicidal subjects?
Debrief the event with the subject afterwards. What in the negotiation worked well, what could have been changed?
What is important about past-tense when the subject says it?
“I was a terrible father” versus “I am a terrible father” indicates increased likelihood of death.
“I wanted to die” versus “I want to die” indicates increased likelihood of life.
True or false: encouraging projection and blaming the victim can help build rapport in a negotiation.
True
What are 4 sleep hygiene practices that can reduce insomnia?
No caffeine after 2pm
Reduce the amount of intensity (ie. loud movies) in the evening
Sleep in a dark and quiet room without a TV
Reduce screen time in the evening or reduce blue-light consumption
In terms of hours, when is the most dangerous time in a negotiation?
First 15-45 minutes, and then the 9-10 hour mark
Besides the obvious, what is one benefit to using an interpreter?
Interpretation inherently takes longer, and time is one of our greatest assets.
How many interpreters should you use during a negotiation, and why?
Two or more, so they can double-check each other’s translations and provide instantaneous updates on what’s going on
When should a critical incident stress debriefing be offered?
24-72 hours after the event
What is the difference between a debriefing and a diffusing?
A diffusing covers the same content as a debriefing but in a shorter form (one hour versus three), and it takes place immediately or quickly after the event.
What is the difference between a diffusing and a demobilization?
They both take place immediately after the critical event, but a demobilization is used when there are 100+ people and just includes a lecture on psychoeducation and no discussion from participants.
True or false: expect someone with Dependent Personality Disorder to talk to the cops a lot.
False. They use silence and make others talk.
What are two negotiating tactics that work well with someone with Dependent Personality Disorder?
Be patient and non-directive, and build up their ego
Why might someone with dependent personality disorder have hostages negotiate for them?
They have a weak ego, penchant for failure, history of trouble with authority, and history of manipulating others into doing unpleasant tasks for them.
What gender of negotiator is best for someone with dependent personality disorder?
Someone of the opposite gender
Is Stockholm Syndrome more or less likely in hostages where the hostage taker has dependent personality disorder, and why?
More likely, because hostages (especially females) are likely to feel pity for them
What is the risk of someone with comorbid schizophrenia and ASPD?
Violent reactions to their hallucinations/delusions
What characteristic about someone’s delusions/hallucinations increases their violence threat level?
If the delusions/hallucinations are about a specific person or group, they are more likely to be violent towards that person or group.
(For example, someone who believes she is appearing nude on the radio is less likely to be violent, but someone who believes the Monroe PD is spying on them is more likely to attack the police.)
If someone threatens the police, refuses to listen to commands, becomes aggressive, and caused a crime specifically to initiate law enforcement response, what do you need to worry about?
Suicide by cop
What are the three types of threats, and which is the most dangerous?
Unconditional, conditional offensive, and conditional defensive - unconditional is the most dangerous
What is an example of an unconditional threat?
“I’m going to kill her!”
What is an example of a conditional offensive threat?
“If you don’t deliver my pizza, I’m going to kill her.”
This threat attempts to spur action from law enforcement.
What is an example of a conditional defensive threat?
“If you don’t stay out of here, I’m going to kill her.”
This threat attempts to keep law enforcement out and away from the subject.
In what type of incident are you most likely to encounter a veteran with PTSD?
A DV incident
Are terrorist/extremist or criminal hostage takers generally more intelligent and sophisticated?
Criminal
If the subject is staying on the phone longer with you and is initiating calls to you, what is that indicative of?
Rapport being built, which increases the chances of a peaceful surrender
What is the most likely indicator of a successful peaceful resolution?
Rapport
Is an obviously depressed person who denies SI more or less dangerous than one who admits it, and why?
More, because it shows that rapport has not been built, which is indicative of a violent outcome
Are younger or older hostage takers more violent, and why?
Younger, because they are more impulsive
If a subject insists on face-to-face negotiations, what should you be aware of?
Suicide by cop
If a subject requests that specific relatives get their belongings after they are incarcerated following this crisis incident, what might this indicate?
Increased suicidality
If a subject tied/taped a weapon to themselves, what might that indicate, and why?
Increased risk for violence, because it shows premeditation
What mindset can negotiators help a hostage adopt to increase their chances of psychological survival?
Help them identify with a characteristic that sets them above the hostage takers - ie., “I’m a father, an American, a soldier, etc.”
True or false: for a hostage, failure to play a subordinate role to their hostage taker will lead to dangerous conflict.
True
True or false: humanizing yourself as a hostage and talking about the family you have to return to and care for decreases your likelihood of survival.
False
What are the four stages of most hostages’ emotional responses?
Denial, dreaming of reprieve, busywork, and taking stock of their lives
Why do some hostages develop animosity towards the police?
They believe the police are keeping them stuck - “If the police would let the bad guy go, I could go home.”
Why does humanizing oneself as a hostage increase chances of survival?
Because it’s harder to kill someone you see as human
What is the risk if hostages are kept in a different room from the hostage taker, or hooded/faced away from the hostage taker?
It becomes increasingly difficult for hostages to humanize themselves because they’ll have no positive interactions with the hostage taker, which decreases their chances of survival because it is easier to kill someone you don’t see as human.
Why is it important for the surrender to include face-saving elements for the subject?
To prevent excessive humiliation or frustration that may trigger violence
What are the 3 primary roles of the MHP on a negotiation team?
Assess and monitor the subject, monitor stress levels among negotiators, and aid in the intelligence gathering process (specifically in the acquisition of medical records)
Why do most prisoners take hostages?
To protest living conditions within the prison
Why do criminals caught in the act (like in the middle of a robbery) take hostages?
To ensure their own safety, because they failed to escape before police arrived
What are 4 reasons a political terrorist will take hostages?
To show that the government cannot protect its citizens
To get media coverage for their cause
In hopes that the government will overreact, place too strict of restrictions on its people, and therefore cause civil discontent
To demand release of incarcerated individuals within their group
What is the danger of having hostages in a separate room from the subject during an incident?
Separation of subjects reduces the likelihood of Stockholm Syndrome developing, which if reciprocated, can act as a protective measure for hostages
What is important to note about the relationship between time and personality disordered individuals?
They are less likely to calm down and metabolize their crisis over time because their condition is their baseline.
What is the benefit of an emotional age estimate to a negotiation?
It tells you how much behavioral improvement you can expect with the passage of time.
How do you negotiate with someone with an emotional age of 2?
Take a firm, reality-based approach and try to redirect their anger from hostages to the authorities.
At what emotional age will active listening skills start to work?
4
How do you negotiate with someone at an emotional age of 4?
Ignore exaggerated attempts to push boundaries and look for opportunities to build the positive relationship between the negotiator and the subject.
How do you negotiate with someone at an emotional age of 6?
Compliment them personally, avoid forcing them to take responsibility, and avoid a commanding approach.
How can the SWAT MHP be helpful in gathering intelligence from friends and family members?
The MHP is often viewed as warmer and friendlier than LE, and therefore friends and family members might be more forthcoming with information.
What is an ethical consideration you need to be aware of when using a TPI?
The emotional impact on the TPI if negotiations fail and the subject is harmed or killed
For example, getting a daughter to record a TPI tape and then having her dad shoot himself could do a lot of harm to that kid.
Do you want the subject to know there’s an MHP on the negotiation team listening to the conversation, and why?
It depends, but likely not, because you don’t know how the subject feels about MHPs. They might aggravate him because of a bad history with ITAs, for example.
True or false: subjects find it difficult to sustain a suicide/hostage execution plan as time goes on.
True
What two emotions usually underlie a schizophrenic individual’s taking of hostages?
Fear and anger
What is an effective negotiating technique for someone with schizophrenia and why?
Let them talk, as many need to vent their beliefs and frustrations
What is the best and worst case scenario if a subject asks to speak to an MHP?
Best: they’ve had a great experience with an MHP in the past, and that person could be crucial in resolving the crisis
Worst: they want to put on a violent and dramatic display in front of the MHP, which could result in suicide or death of a hostage
True or false: it is a good idea to play into someone’s delusions and hallucinations because they’ll feel heard and understood.
False. They’re very keen on when someone is bullshitting them, and it’ll erode trust and rapport.
What are two keys to successful negotiations with a paranoid subject?
Calmness and straightforwardness
What is the risk of being too warm and amiable with a paranoid subject?
They may see your attempts at rapport-building as attempts to control, harm, or manipulate them.
What two archetypes are helpful for the negotiator to take with a depressed subject who has nothing left to live for?
Nurturing parental figure or supportive authority figure
How should you pace the conversation with a depressed/suicidal subject?
Start at a slow tempo, give lots of time for pauses before responses, and slowly pick up the pace as you go
If a depressed/suicidal subject starts to harp on a negative thing from the past, what should you do?
Gently redirect them to the positive aspects of the present moment
True or false: comments like, “Think of how your kids will feel,” are effective at talking someone out of suicide.
False. They already feel like shit, and this type of comment doesn’t help.
Should jokes and irony be used with someone in an acute manic state, and why or why not?
No, because they may be too concrete in their thinking to get it and may feel like you’re making fun of them.
How do you convince someone with ASPD to spare hostages?
Convince him sparing hostages is the easiest way to achieve his objectives. For example, tell him that a goodwill gesture of releasing hostages may result in a lighter penalty and will prevent tac from coming in there and shooting him.
What does a negotiation with someone with ASPD look like?
A legit negotiation, like a business deal. There’s no empathy or rapport there.
What type of tone do you want when negotiating with someone with ASPD?
Even-keeled: calm enough to not play into their need for power trips and thrills, but not too boring that they feel the need to commit violence to “spice things up.”
What type of crisis do people with BPD usually find themselves in?
Some sort of relationship-based crisis, like going to the house of a lover who scorned them.
What is the underlying emotion driving the taking of hostages for someone with BPD?
White-hot, righteous anger
What type of demands should you expect from someone with BPD?
No demands (they just want their expressive hostage to suffer) or completely unreasonable demands (an oath of undying devotion, all of the material possessions of their expressive hostage, etc)
Do you want to encourage Stockholm Syndrome in a hostage situation with a subject with BPD, and why or why not?
No, because the subject already has heated interpersonal relationships with those hostages, and you want to keep their attention focused on you and resolving the crisis.
What is important to note about a BPD person’s pattern of over-idealizing and then devaluing others?
That cycle can happen multiple times during a negotiation, and you may have to switch negotiators.
Be aware that they may go from loving you to hating you with equal passion in the blink of an eye.
What is the best negotiating tactic for someone with histrionic personality disorder?
Tell them that a peaceful resolution to the crisis is the one most likely to be admired by others (family, police, media, etc).
Why do most people with narcissistic personality disorder get themselves into trouble?
They believe the rules don’t apply to them because they’re so superior.
If someone with narcissistic personality disorder feels they aren’t getting the respect they deserve, what might happen?
They get angry.
What generally lies underneath someone with narcissistic personality disorder’s clinical presentation, and how is that relevant to negotiations?
A sense of inferiority and insecurity. They will often begrudgingly defer to someone with real power in an attempt to sidle up to them and build up their own ego.
How do you know you’ve built “rapport” with someone with narcissistic personality disorder?
They say something that implies you share an equal status or common bond: “I have a brother in Atlanta who’s a cop.”
If someone with narcissistic personality disorder becomes enraged at not being treated like the special snowflake they think they are, how should you handle it?
Be deferential, but don’t degrade your own dignity, and reassert the need for your actions/what you’re asking for.
“We understand, sir, but it’s necessary that we maintain this perimeter for everyone’s safety until this situation can be resolved. Thanks for working with us on this.”
Why might someone with avoidant-dependent personality disorder take a hostage?
They feel slighted or rejected by that person and will do anything to get them back, including taking them hostage.
What is important about the resolution plan for someone with avoidant-dependent personality disorder, and how can you facilitate this?
Make a resolution plan that doesn’t feel like a failure to the subject, lest they try to do something violent to show their capability.
Let initial surrender ideas come from the subject, refine with your own suggestions, and include mentor-like praise.
What is a good negotiating tactic for someone with avoidant-dependent personality disorder?
Make every positive thing that happens feel like it was the subject’s idea.
What two negotiating techniques are most effective for someone with dementia?
Keep sentences short, simple, and direct.
Really emphasize your desire to keep everyone safe/the “safety” aspect.
What is the most likely reason you’ll have to go tactical when negotiating with someone with dementia?
Health-related issues, like the hostage (often a spouse) is having difficulty breathing
