THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE OF HOSTAGE-TAKING IS CONSIDERED TO BE ITS TRIANGULAR EFFECT THAT INVOLVES THE HOSTAGE, THE HOSTAGE-TAKER, AND THE THIRD PARTY FROM WHOM THE HOSTAGE-TAKER DEMANDS SOMETHING. THE INTERACTION OF THESE ELEMENTS IS ANALYZED IN TERMS OF THEIR APPLICABILITY AND GENERALIZABILITY TO CONCRETE SITUATIONS OR INCIDENTS. VARIOUS TYPOLOGIES OF HOSTAGE-TAKING THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED ARE DISCUSSED, AND PERSPECTIVES ARE EXAMINED FROM WHICH HOSTAGE-TAKING CAN BE VIEWED TO DETERMINE WHICH TYPOLOGIES ARE MOST USEFUL IN ACCOMPLISHING THE GOALS OF THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE PROBLEM. THE PERSPECTIVES EXAMINED INCLUDE; 1) PREVENTION PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE OFFENDER, VICTIM, AND CONTEXT TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED RELEVANT; 2) POLICE PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE THE RESPONSE TYPOLOGY IS SIGNIFICANT; 3) LEGAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE THREAT TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED USEFUL IN PROVIDING SOME BASIS FOR RELATING HOSTAGE-TAKING LAWS TO LAWS INVOLVING OTHER KINDS OF THREATS AND CONSTRAINTS; 4) POTENTIAL VICTIMS PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE DEMAND TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED RELEVANT; 5) TARGET PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE CONTEXT, DEMAND, AND VICTIM TYPOLOGIES ARE CONSIDERED; 6) PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHERE OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES ARE INVOLVED; AND 7) THE SOCIOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE -- WHICH VIEWS HOSTAGE-TAKING AS A MECHANISM FOR INSURING THAT CERTAIN SOCIAL CONTRACTS ARE PERFORMED. (RCB)