Mission Success: When the “never happens” happens to you, Part I

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By Tracy E. Barnhart

Published: 07/23/2007

Mission: Success – When the “never happens” happens to you, Part I
by Tracy Barnhart

When I was first working in a maximum security juvenile prison I wanted information on what to do if taken hostage by inmates. This was a taboo concept, and as I have found during my research is taboo across the correctional society. It is like a two hundred pound gorilla in the room; everybody knows it’s there but nobody wants to talk about it.

We as correctional officers can no longer have the mindset that “it will never happen to me,” because, it just might. How you react and what you do will be a result of your training, experience, or lack of either. No matter how confident in our abilities we all need more information on survival skills if ever taken hostage.

Every day the news reminds us of how vulnerable COs are to the threat of being taken hostage. Inmates feel as if the prison system victimizes them, and may want to lash out in some manner. They may feel they have to take hostages to coerce the administration to give them even more liberties than they already have. They also might think this is a good strategy to gain the attention of the media, and other civil liberty advocates, so that they can tell those on the outside about their plight and problems that they cannot seem to resolve in a normal, civil manor.

Most hostage situations develop according to the following stages: (1) The Capture, (2) The Victimization, (3) The Waiting and Negotiation, (4) The Release or Rescue.

Fear of death is the most important tool for a hostage-taker. They use it to control, intimidate, and wear down hostages as well as the negotiators. Their fear of death is usually the greatest during the first few hours of capture. Therefore they may induce fear through weapon play, displaying excessive aggression and rage, physical abuse and rape, or staging mock executions that are “mercifully” stopped at the last minute.

As this fear subsides, the hostage-takers may say the hostages themselves owe their lives to them as they have allowed them to live during this incident. Anticipate isolation and the taker’s efforts to confuse you. The fear of dying is real, and it can become overwhelming, especially during the first stage of captivity.

The Capture Stage

Most hostage situations take no longer than one to two minutes to evolve, and the inmates involved will try to as many live hostages as possible. They attempt to do so by shocking everyone with yelling, beating, and threatening all authority figures within range. Their goal is to overwhelm the security of the institution and place the captives into a defensive, submissive rather than fight or flee reaction.

With more live hostages, their demands or plight will gather more media attention so that negotiations will take front page. This was evident during the Attica Riot in 1971 where 42 officers and civilians were taken hostage. There may or may not be improvised weapons involved depending on the amount of pre-planning for the uprising.

What to Do

Attract attention to your situation. Do not think that you can resolve all situations because of your skills of de-escalation. Immediately call for assistance or activate your man down device. Your radio and other corrections tools will be taken by the inmates for control.
Pay attention to your surroundings and remember who the ring leader is.
Create a rapport with your hostage-takers, but do so with dignity and self respect. Inmates will view frailty and feebleness as weakness and will show you no respect or favor. This rapport may save your life but weakness may lead to victimization.
Make eye contact with hostage-takers sparingly, use their first names if you know it, and talk to them about your family. Show them family photos if you have them and try to create feelings of a bond so they might spare you.
Determine if you have similar interests as they do (i.e. sports, food, hygiene, etc.)
Listen to them. If they want to talk about their cause, act interested. You may explain that you understand and might not agree, but you’re interested in their view points.
Avoid appearing overly attentive or interested in what is taking place as the situation evolves> They may view this as patronizing or insincere.
Do not refuse favors offered by the hostage-takers. This may aggravate them and further harm your health and safety.

What not to do

Avoid struggling if threatened with weapons. Only you will have to decide if resistance will aid in your escape. Each person’s assessment of the circumstances will prevail. Remember, the hostage-takers in front of you may not be the only ones involved, and other inmates out of sight may jump in once they realize the overthrow is successful.

The victimization stage

This violent stage comes next in the ever-evolving situation. The hostage-takers will make it known that they are in charge and will use force to prevent any escape attempts or rebellion. They will pick out officers whom they have had problems with or COs that could be aggressive.

If you are a female you may be sexually violated at this point because the situation presents them with the false sense of institutional control. It is important to note here that resisting or submitting to the sexual assault is your decision to make. If you submit though, you might send the wrong message that you are open to other sexual encounters from other inmates.

What to Do

You may or may not be bound or blindfolded at this point. Being taken hostage is the most devastating experience one will ever go through. The first 15 to 45 minutes are the most dangerous as it relates to victimization. Follow the instructions of your captors and remember, they are in a highly charged emotional state as well. Your job is to survive.
When the victimization stage starts, take a deep breath and try to relax. Fear of death or injury is normal. Recognizing your reactions may help you adapt more efficiently.
Keep a low profile; avoid the appearance of studying your captors. You should, however, make mental notes about their mannerisms, clothing and apparent rank structure. They may take your uniforms at this point and clothe you in inmate uniforms to disguise your appearance.

What not to do

Don’t be a hero; do not talk back or act authoritative. Accept your captive situation. Any action on your part to rebel may bring a violent reaction from your captors.
If they are attempting to conceal their identity, do not give any indication that you know who they are.
Don’t fight the isolation but do anticipate this action. Hostage-takers may attempt to disorient you. Your watch may be taken away so you can’t determine if it is night or day.
Don’t attempt an escape unless you are sure you will succeed. If you are caught, your captors may use violence or death to teach you and the others a lesson for this action.

Editor’s note: Next week, Barnhart discusses strategies to survive the waiting and negotiation and release/rescue stages.

Tracy E. Barnhart is a Marine combat veteran of Desert Storm / Desert Shield. In 1992 he became an Ohio police officer. He was the youngest officer to attain the rank of Staff Lieutenant. He became Chief of Police for the Village of Edison, Ohio, and obtained his Ohio Peace Officers Training Commission as a unit instructor teaching several law enforcement and correctional courses at the state academy.

In 2000, Barnhart joined the Ohio Department of Youth Services at the Marion Juvenile Corrections Facility, a maximum security male correctional facility housing more than 320 offenders. Barnhart works with male felony offenders ages 16 to 21 with violent criminal convictions and aggressive natures.

Other articles by Barnhart:
Methods of attack, 7/6/07

Indicators to assault, 6/21/07

The art of manipulation, 4/18/07

Comments:

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