21 st CENTURY THREAT MANAGEMENT IACP 2014 POLICE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES SECTION TRACK. KRIS MOHANDIE, Ph.D., ABPP

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1 21 st CENTURY THREAT MANAGEMENT IACP 2014 POLICE PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES SECTION TRACK KRIS MOHANDIE, Ph.D., ABPP

2 CONTEXTS? Workplace violence risk School and campus threat management Stalking Private case management Crisis negotiation National security issues

3 THREAT ASSESSMENT Risk investigation utilizes available information about warning signs, risk factors, stabilizing factors, and precipitating events, to arrive at a categorical description of risk for a particular point in time. Risk investigation is only as good as the data collection to support it. Use of collateral data sources is essential.

4 THREAT ASSESSMENT Risk assessment or investigation is seeking to answer the overall questions: Is the individual moving on a path towards violent action? Is there evidence to suggest movement from thought to action?

5 THREAT ASSESSMENT Does the person have the ability (access, means, capacity, and opportunity) to become violent? Is there evidence of intent (specificity of plan, action taken toward plan)? Have they crossed thresholds (engaged in attack-related behaviors, broken rules) which indicate elevated risk?

6 THREAT ASSESSMENT Are others concerned by observed behaviors (subject discussed plan/threat with others, others are afraid)? Does the at-risk individual comply with risk reduction steps? (Borum, 2000)

7 SOURCES OF INFORMATION Victim/Complainants/Coworkers/Classmates Faculty members Roommates Parents Housing sources Employment and disciplinary record Public Records Cyberspace/Social Networking/Online postings Mental health evaluators Treatment providers-student counseling center? Employers/Supervisors Drug/alcohol testing Weapon availability/access checks Searches Informants Undercover operations Surveillance

8 WHAT IS THE RISK? Violence? Predatory or affective? Lethal or assaultive? Continued harassment? Emotional distress? Disruption to the workplace? False allegations? Sabotage and vandalism? Property damage?

9 THREAT ASSESSMENT Mobility/proximity Access to potential victim Familiarity with potential victim s habits and patterns Sense of entitlement Ideas that justify/condone violence Weapon seeking/accessibility Personal attempts to contact/approach Poor/antisocial coping Hopelessness/suicidality

10 THREAT ASSESSMENT Resourcefulness Fantasies Victim response Victim security consciousness Involvement of third parties Response to limit setting Past violence (context maybe important) Options dwindling or stable?

11 Warning Signs are observed by or reported to school authorities Is there an Imminent Risk? (Category 1) (possession of firearm, detailed threats of lethal violence, suicide threats, etc.) If Yes, then Take IMMEDIATE ACTION to secure individual & maintain safety; contact Law Enforcement and/or 911 If No, then TAT leader initially screens for level of risk Arrest Hospitalization Liaison Tarasoff High (Category 2) Moderate/Low (Category 3 or 4) Low/No (Category 5) Monitor for release Increase security Establish re-entry criteria, if any Set boundaries Monitor Criteria met? If Yes, then Return to Work/school? Security Consider removal & notifications Psych. eval/consult Reentry criteria? Monitor Convene TAT Review warning signs, risk factors, stability factors, potential precipitating events, seek information, revise risk level Minimal security Removal versus limits Psych. referral Behavioral contract Upgrade criteria? Monitor Decrease security Evaluate report sources Address accused Psych. referral Upgrade criteria? Monitor Criteria met? If Yes, then Return to Work/school?

12 Mental health EXPERTISE? Operational emphasis versus diagnostic Other professions Police psychologists and behaviorally grounded law enforcement professionals well suited Team orientation

13 PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES Mentoring ATAP FBI Special private training opportunities Professional literature Books-International Handbook of Threat Assessment Behavioral Sciences and the Law, Journal of Forensic Sciences, Journal of Threat Assessment and Management

14 Case Examples In-house consultation to law enforcement resources National Assessment Services Modelprivate Operational Consulting International Independent practitioner model

15 CRITICAL VARIABLES Technical expertise Role clarity Personal safety Legal landscape Creative approaches Availability Backup, collaboration, and consultation Follow-up and follow-thru Paperwork and documentation