Crisis Negotiation Resources
Crisis Negotiation Resources brings together practical tools, research-informed strategies, and real-world training materials for professionals handling high-risk incidents. Whether you serve on a Crisis Negotiation Team, supervise critical events, or want to strengthen your communication under pressure, these resources focus on active listening, rapport, decision-making, and information gathering in dynamic situations. Each tool is designed to support safe resolutions, reduce risk, release hostages, and improve the quality of communication when it matters most.
Crisis Negotiation Training Resources
These Crisis Negotiation Resources include open-source guides, hostage negotiation checklists, negotiation position papers, crisis negotiation training tools, and evidence-based communication strategies from IXI and other trusted sources. Designed for Crisis Negotiation Teams, law enforcement professionals, and workplace leaders seeking de-escalation training from hostage negotiators can use these practical materials to support active listening, rapport building, behavioral change strategies, and safe resolution during barricaded suspect, hostage, high-risk, and other tense interpersonal incidents. Many are ideal for printing, laminating, and field use during real-time operations.
Why Crisis Negotiation Resources Matter
Crisis negotiation resources matter because high-risk incidents demand more than courage and experience. They require structure, sound communication, and tools that help negotiators slow the situation down, gather reliable information, and influence behavior over time. Whether the incident involves a barricaded subject, suicidal person, hostage situation, or emotionally disturbed individual, negotiators need practical resources that support active listening, rapport, empathy, planning, and safer resolutions. This page brings those tools together in one place for crisis negotiation teams, supervisors, and law enforcement professionals looking for practical guidance they can use in training and in the field.
What You Will Find On This Page
This crisis negotiation resource page includes printable tools, active listening targets, crisis negotiation checklists, command guides, behavioral change models, and open-source training materials from IXI and trusted outside sources. These materials are designed to support preparation, field performance, after-action review, and skill development for both new and experienced negotiators. Some are useful for training days and tabletop exercises, while others are built for real-time operational reference. This gives the page broader relevance than a simple download list and helps signal its value as a resource hub.
Crisis Negotiation and Communication Under Pressure
At the center of crisis negotiation is communication under pressure. Negotiators must listen for emotion, gather details, slow momentum, and create movement without unnecessary escalation. That makes active listening (open-ended questions, reflections, effective pauses, etc.), rapport, emotional labeling, and behavioral influence central skills, not side topics. A strong resource page should reflect that by connecting negotiators not only to downloadable tools, but also to articles and training content that explain why those tools work and how to apply them.
Workplace De-Escalation and Violence Prevention
Many of the same communication principles used in crisis negotiation also apply in the workplace. Active listening, rapport, emotional labeling, and calm communication can help leaders and teams reduce escalation, gather better information, and support safer outcomes. Read more in Workplace Violence Prevention Starts with Better Communication.
This Active Listening Skills target (FBI) outlines practical communication behaviors used in crisis negotiation. Used in crisis negotiation training scenarios.
The stairway model provides the crisis or hostage negotiator with a path forward towards behavioral change of the person in crisis
This course is part of the series of ICS courses designed to meet NIMS ICS for operation personnel, including hostage incidents.
Hints on scoring the active listening skills (ALS) target during crisis negotiation training days. Useful for veteran and new crisis negotiators alike.
The resource offers printable crisis negotiation coaching cards. Includes suicide intervention, suicide ladder, active listening techniques and wheel of emotion.
This discusses follow-up and further discussion of the ALS Target. How to use it and prepare for crisis negotiation training days. Also offers info on why some information is not included.
Hostage or barricade incident checklists and response guide.
The checklist supports crisis negotiation and hostage negotiation operations by identifying behavioral, verbal, and psychological signs of movement toward resolution.
This document offers potential on-scene commanders negotiation points for their consideration during critical incidents. Provided by the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU).
This document provides indicators of violence and questions to consider when preparing for a callout or activation of speciality teams.
This Active Listening Skills target (FBI) outlines practical communication behaviors used in crisis negotiation. Used in crisis negotiation training scenarios.
Follow this checklist during a hostage incident to ensure that you complete important tasks.
Editable event log to document any incident. This log can be tailored to meet the specific needs of any law enforcement agency or crisis negotiation team.
Generic recommendations for negotiation situations. Including points for demands, suicide, surrender, and barricaded subjects.
A guide to preparing for and responding to prison emergenices. Self-audit checklists, resource materials, case studies, and hostage response protocols.
FEMA official classification for NIMS: The Crisis Negotiation Team consists of individuals who negotiate with a person or group of people actively involved in a criminal,domestic or mental health incident
Law Enforcement Bulletin article on returning war veterans and the adjustments and challenges that they face that can lead to Law Enforcement contact.
Law Enforcement Bulletin article on returning war veterans and the adjustments and challenges that they face that can lead to Law Enforcement contact.
Image of the behavior change stairway including influence, rapport, active listening, and empathy.
Hostage and barricade scenario checklists, response guide, and training for hospitals.
Federal Probation article on a protocol for hostage negotiation training within correctional institutions.
Skills sheet that includes active listening skills, labeling, rapport, and other crisis and hostage negotiation skills.
The Behavioural Stairway Influence Model (Vecchi, Van Hasselt & Romano 2005)
Negotiation Positions Paper template and cheatsheet for critical incidents