Increasing predictability of terrorist hostage taking and kidnapping through a descriptive analysis of known hostage taking and kidnapping cases worldwide

Increasing predictability of terrorist hostage taking and kidnapping through a descriptive analysis of known hostage taking and kidnapping cases worldwide

  This study is to identify a distinctive pattern of terrorist hostage taking and kidnapping depending on a particular geographical region. Several geographical hotspots were identified from a review of various literature sources. By using both quantitative and qualitative methods, different distinctive patterns of terrorist hostage taking and kidnapping will be examined. For the purpose of this study, 764 cases collected by the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups (ISVG) at Sam Houston State University were used. The results found in this study are expected to provide practical information and guidelines for the management of similar cases in the future.