ABSTRACT
Recent years have seen an increase in the number of elderly and juveniles that negotiators must respond to. These two groups, along with others discussed in this chapter, present special and unique challenges for the negotiator. This chapter covers these special populations, including the unique issues presented by each group, along with strategies for negotiators in dealing with each group. The chapter first discusses juvenile issues. The preteen and teen have emotional, cognitive, and behavior issues not often seen in older and adult individuals. These unique characteristics of juveniles are presented, along with techniques for negotiating with juveniles. The chapter next discusses persons at the other end of the age spectrum, the elderly. Many elderly experience physical illnesses of the CNS that affect thoughts, memory, cognitions, and emotions. Some diseases, such as ALS, can alter personality as well. The country has also seen an increase in elderly suicide (including murder-suicide). All of these issues are discussed, along with negotiating strategies. Given the current and recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the long-finished war in Vietnam, and even Korea and WWII to a small extent, warfighters present some unique challenges to a negotiator. Many warfighters not only have PTSD, but also traumatic brain injury. For the negotiator, PTSD presents primarily emotional issues. TBI, on the other hand, changes the warfighter’s personality, behavior, thoughts, and emotions. Unlike other emotional issues, the negotiator cannot change the emotions or behaviors of the warfighter with TBI, because there are physical and structural changes in the brain. The results of these changes are discussed, as are strategies for the negotiator in dealing with those changes. Finally, the special case of negotiating with police officers is discussed.
