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Ransom is a payment made to release a person or item held until payment is made. It has ancient origins in warfare and continues in civilian life, with criminals kidnapping high-ranking members of society. Law enforcement recommends immediate contact, and governments often refuse to negotiate. Items are held for ransom less frequently, but criminals have targeted national treasures and human remains.
A ransom is an amount of money paid to release a person or item that is held until. This word can also be used to refer to the act of paying a ransom, as in “she ransomed her husband after negotiating with the kidnappers.” Kidnapping or stealing and demanding ransom payments is illegal, and attempts to orchestrate such activities can result in serious legal penalties, including prison time.
The origins of these payments are ancient. Numerous ancient cultures demanded redemption in warfare; once the battle was over, a list of prisoners would be sent, giving the opposing side the opportunity to pay to have some hostages released. Unransomed captives would be enslaved or killed, and typically only members of the upper classes could expect to be ransomed if captured in warfare. This practice has continued into civilian life as well, with criminals kidnapping high-ranking members of society and only releasing them when demands are met.
Although people often mean an amount of money when they refer to a ransom, someone can also be held for payments on property. This could include artwork, real estate, and other items the kidnappers value. Sometimes hijackers hold crew and passengers for ransom and demand safe passage, another example of a variation of traditional ransom activities. Other concessions may also be requested as part of an attempted kidnapping or hijacking.
When someone is kidnapped, law enforcement recommends contacting them immediately, even before the kidnappers make contact. A negotiator may work with friends and family to recover someone who has been taken, sometimes by paying the ransom and sometimes by the use of other techniques. As a general rule, many governments refuse to buy back prisoners when approached with demands for payment, with the argument that doing so once would set a very dangerous precedent. This refusal to negotiate is criticized by some citizens.
Items are held for ransom more rarely, as criminals correctly suspect that in most cases, people would rather give up the item than buy it back. However, criminals have targeted national treasures or highly valuable works of art for ransom attempts, and in some cases have even stooped to holding human remains, under the assumption that family members will not be inclined to let the remains of a relative go without a fight.
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