Hostage Negotiations
Following the deadly aftermath/fallout from the Attica prison riot in New York State in 1971 -- and from the bloody terrorist attack during the 1972 Olympic Games in Germany -- there have been attempts to change the way in which authorities go about crisis negotiation. This paper discusses the responses that authorities have had to these crisis situations and outlines the steps that have been taken to improve the strategies that are needed when there is a crisis.
Attica -- what changes (if any) have been made in crisis negotiation?
Without going into great detail regarding the causes of the insurrection at Attica Prison in 1971, it should be noted that the living conditions for many inmates at Attica were deplorable. Attica was a place where 2,200 men were jammed into a facility that was built for 1,600, according to "the smart negotiator." In the end, after the riot, hostage-taking, and bloodshed, the attempt at negotiation is viewed as having been pathetically weak, as law enforcement (under orders from Governor Nelson Rockefeller) opened fire and killed 29 inmates; 10 guards were also killed.
Negotiations are about meeting "needs," the blog explains. Rockefeller had a "political need" to look tough so he refused to extend the deadline. The prisoners had needs in terms of wanting better living conditions. In the aftermath of that disaster, lessons were learned about crisis management, according to the blog at Wordpress (the smart negotiator). Negotiators must demonstrate "a genuine commitment to a deal that satisfies the needs of all parties," not just the authorities or those rebelling. The so-called negotiation process in 1971 went sour when "wants were confused with needs, and...
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