ABSTRACT
The vast majority of police departments, other law enforcement agencies, and most correctional facilities have crisis response teams (CRT). To understand how a psychologist can serve on a CNT, it is important to understand the crisis response process itself as well as the responsibilities of each component of the CRT and the overall structure and functioning of the CNT. The most familiar, or “classic,” hostage-taking incident is actually a small portion of a CRT’s work. The mental health consultant (MHC) is an integral part of a CNT and can bring a variety of knowledge, skills, and abilities to the team; assist the team in many areas; and be a valuable resource for not only the negotiating team but also the CRT as a whole. The MHC’s most valuable role is to utilize expertise in making mental health and risk assessments of the actor, hostages, victims, and any others involved in an incident.
