Hostage situations could be as a result of a mentally ill person taking the law unto their own hands. These people are victim to several disorders that affect their mental state. Understanding their mental conditions could give insight into the disease they are suffering from and therefore, the appropriate medical personnel attend to them. This paper discusses a case study of Mr. Albondigas, an inmate suffering from mental issues, who decided to take the maintenance personnel hostage. With threats to kill the hostage unless “aliens” leave the field, the negotiator has to resolve the issue so that there are no casualties or the death of Mr. Albondigas. Handling a hostage situation with a mentally ill victim could prove difficult. lt requires skilled professions to do it. Forensic Psychopathology Mental illness is one of the most common causes of hostage situations. The decision by the affected persons to take others into hostage is caused by the need to feel in control.
The case of Mr. Albondigas shows that he is not in his right mind when he holds some of the staff at the maximum-security prison on claims of seeing aliens. He believes that the maintenance personnel is collaborating with the aliens against him and fellow inmates. The manner, in which his head is covered with aluminum foil and the fact that he made his knife, shows that his mental state is not okay. According to the Betterhealth (2019) website, people with psychotic illnesses carry the added burden of speculating that others want to harm them.
Mental State of the Offender According to Grubb (2010), mentally disturbed individuals take hostages since they are emotionally disturbed individuals. Mr. Albondigas portrays characters of someone who is experiencing anxiety and fear. This can be heard from the way he expresses the reasons for holding the hostages. lt is clear that he has been monitoring the staff for a while, which explains his anxiety. He is also afraid of the “aliens,” which explains why it is his main reason for the hostage situation. He feels that the only way he can be safe is if the alien saucer leaves the field.
Possible Mental Disorders Plaguing the Offender The most likely disorders affecting him could be paranoid schizophrenia and Persecutory Delusional Disorder. These disorders are both characterized by symptoms of extreme paranoia. People with paranoia are expected to come up with conspiracies that are not true; such as Mr., Albondigas and the aliens. From the Betterhealth (2019), symptoms may include hallucinations and delusions.
a. Paranoid Schizophrenia Schizophrenia affects the nervous system of the victim, making it the most severe mental disorder (Patel, 2007). Due to the hallucinations that come along with the illness, it is difficult for the affected to tell what is real and what is not.
b. Persecutory Delusional Disorder This illness makes the victim believe that someone is spying on them, wants to hurt them, or others.
lndividuals with psychotic disorders run through a chronic loss of social networks with increased risk of discrimination (Patel, 2007).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1892038/ 30%
lndividuals with psychotic disorders run through a chronic loss of social networks with increased risk of discrimination (Patel, 2007).
c. The medical team on the scene The medical personnel on site would be a psychologist and a general doctor. The psychologist would serve to advise Mr. Albondigas while at the same time providing insight into his mind (Grabb, 2010). lt is essential to consider the likely event of Mr. Albondigas hurting the staff, therefore the need for a doctor to help out.
Threat Assessment lf the deadline is met without a solution, whatsoever, there are likely chances that Mr. Albondigas will hurt the maintenance personnel. Crisis negotiation skills can make or break a negotiator within this period (PON, 2019). The fact that the perpetrator made his knife should show how serious he is about carrying out the act. When the deadline exceeds, then chances of Mr. Abondigas getting restless are more likely.
Negotiation Tactics, Approach, and lnterview Strategy The most important people to bring to the scene for interviewing would be his fellow inmates (friends) and healthcare provider. The information that they give will help the negotiator develop a relationship with the perpetrator, who is a stranger (PON, 2019). The first strategy would be to minimize any distractions to have the attention of the hostage-taker. lt is vital to avoid mentioning to the hostage-taker that they have a mental illness. lnstead, it would be best to help them understand that they are all on the same side. That way, they would not feel that the negotiator wants to harm them. The next important thing would be encouraging continuity in conversation and adapt to the situation. Talking about the “aliens” would help the hostage-taker believe that the negotiator and he are on the same page and working towards a solution. Seeing the aliens as a common threat would make the perpetrator more attentive and more willing to listen to the possible solutions that the negotiator has.
PON (2019) suggests that it is essential to listen to the hostage-taker attentively to observe critical notes. Conclusion Using calming techniques with a hostage-taker who is suffering from severe paranoia is the best approach. Understanding the patient first makes the negotiation process more straightforward since there is their medical situation to refer to. Each mental disorder is characterized differently; this makes the means of handling the victims different as well.
Important components of the psychiatric interview
Assignment Write a brief explanation (1 page) of three important components of the psychiatric interview and why you consider these elements important. Explain the psychometric properties of the rating scale you were assigned (Positive and negative symptom scale). Explain when it is appropriate to use this rating scale with clients during the psychiatric interview and […]
