Crisis Negotiations: Managing Critical Incidents and Hostage Situations in Law Enforcement and Corrections, Fourth Edition, discusses the fundamentals of crisis management for crisis and hostage negotiators. It features the contributions of negotiators from all over the United States who share their experiences, lessons, successes, and failures. Much of the material in this book is also consistent with FBI teaching and practice.
The book first traces the history of crisis management. It then covers the elements of a crisis response team, the model of intervention in crisis/hostage negotiations, risk assessment in negotiations, communication in crisis negotiations, guidelines for negotiating with emotionally disturbed or mentally ill individuals, negotiating with suicidal persons, negotiating with special populations (e.g. juveniles, gang members, elderly), crisis negotiations in prisons and correctional facilities, and hostage dynamics. The book contains eleven chapters, each of which begins with an outline of learning objectives and concludes with discussion questions.
- McMains and Mullins are leading authorities on crisis negotiations.
- Learning objectives, discussion questions, and real-life negotiation situations expand on the text.
Michael McMains consults with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, and private and public organizations, on crisis management issues. He has developed and presents training on workplace violence, hostage/crisis negotiations, family violence, crisis intervention for first responders, suicide intervention, hostage survival strategies, and traumatic stress. From 1982-2004, he was the Chief Psychologist and Director of the Victims Advocacy Section of the San Antonio Police Department. In 2010, he co-wrote curricula on negotiation with terrorists for the United States Department of State. In the course of his career he has consulted on more than 400 hostage/barricaded subject incidents. He is a certified Master Peace Officer in Texas and a certified Police Instructor.
Wayman C. Mullins has taught at Texas State University-San Marcos, where he is a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, since 1984. He has researched, written, and published extensively in the areas of crisis negotiations, terrorism, stress and PTSD, and other police issues. He has served as a consultant to law enforcement and correction agencies at the federal, state, and local levels; private businesses; and international corporations. He also helped start the Crisis Negotiation Team at Hays County Sheriff's Office and is still an active member of that team. Mullins is a licensed peace officer in Texas.
