These criteria are based on analysis of several domestic and foreign hostage situations and relate to suicidality, volatility of the negotiations, relationships with others, cooperation and rapport, and the hostage-taker's life situation. The research shows that most hostage-takers are males and work alone. The four indicators that the subject is suicidal are the subject's setting a deadline for his or her own death, insistence on face-to-face negotiations, denial of thoughts of suicide, and verbal statements about the disposition of belongings. Two criteria indicating that the negotiations themselves are volatile are the presence of a weapon tied to the hostage-taker's body and the increasing aggressiveness of the hostage-taker during the negotiations. Further indicators that the situation is volatile are absence of rapport between the suspect and the negotiators, no clear demands or outrageous demands, alcohol or drug use during the siege, and multiple stressors in the suspect's life. The indicators are all equally significant. Table