Hostagetaking became a world phenomenon in the 1960's and 1970's with many spectacular incidents committed by terrorists. Between 1972 and 1980, 20 hostagetaking incidents in English prisons were recorded. Hostagetaking in prison tends to last a shorter time than on the outside. Although English police have been trained to handle hostagetaking cases, in reality, training principles are rarely followed. The governor in charge of the prison, not specially trained personnel, usually has negotiated directly with the perpetrator, and half the 20 incidents have been solved through physical intervention, not negotiation. Actions to cope with hostagetaking include prevention, resolving those incidents that are not prevented, and minimizing damage to individuals after the incident has been resolved. It is also advised never to let a hostagetaking succeed or it will be repeated, limit the availability of weapons in prison, make staff aware of the risk of being taken hostage, deter hostagetaking through physical design, and provide better inmate support. One prison studied, Birmingham Prison, has a high incidence of violence due to cellmate tension. Cell sharing may, in itself, not be harmful; the crucial variable may be with whom the cell is shared. Riots tend to take a predictable pattern and can be resolved by force at certain times and not at others. Negotiation would depend on whether hostages are held; if so, it should take a form similar to that used for dealing with hostagetaking situations. To prevent riots, there should be better food, a grievance procedure, public awareness campaigns about prison conditions, and secure prison design. A table and 17 references are provided.