THE INCREASE IN HOSTAGE-TAKING INCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO GREATER EXPOSURE TO VIOLENCE THROUGH TELEVISION, TO IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEMS WHICH INCREASE POLICE RESPONSE CAPABILITIES AND MAKE OFFICERS MORE LIKELY TO BE SEIZED BY SURPRISED CRIMINALS, AND TO POOR PRISON CONDITIONS WHICH SPUR PRISONERS TO SEEK REDRESS THROUGH VIOLENT MEANS. BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS CAN BE A RESOURCE FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES IN RESPONDING TO HOSTAGE-TAKING INCIDENTS, PARTICULARLY BY PROVIDING ADVISORY ASSISTANCE. BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS CAN ENCOURAGE NEGOTIATION FROM A MANAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW, THUS REDUCING MANIPULATION OF PARTIES INVOLVED, AND CAN ACT AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE NEWS MEDIA AND THE NEGOTIATORS. THEY CAN PROVIDE THE ELEMENTS FOR A SOUND WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOSTAGE-TAKERS AND NEGOTIATORS BY EQUIPPING CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNICATION THEORIES AND OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR DURING HOSTAGE-TAKING INCIDENTS. BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS ALSO CAN FACILITATE THE CREATION OF POLICIES AND OPERATIONAL PLANS CONGRUENT WITH BELIEFS IN PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY CAN DEVELOP BASELINE DATA COLLECTION ON HOSTAGE-TAKING AND SIMILAR OFFENSES AND PROVIDE A RESEARCH CAPABILITY TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOSTAGE-TAKERS AND TERRORISTS. A DATA ANALYSIS OF 185 HOSTAGE-TAKING INCIDENTS, DEVELOPED BY PROFESSOR BRISTOW OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, IS PRESENTED. IT IS STRESSED THAT MORE AND BETTER RESEARCH IS NEEDED IN THIS AREA. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)