Conjecture claims

State agencies may operate with broader authorities and with greater resources than smaller local agencies, and fusion centers provide law enforcement with opportunities to share information and intelligence, collaborate with partner agencies, maximize their resources, and streamline their processes.

Defining the parameters of the program can also assist an organization with educating the larger community and other interested partners on the purpose of behavioral threat assessment and the role community members play in prevention.

Without clear channels for reporting, BTAUs may miss opportunities to identify and intervene with individuals of concern.

Some states and fusion centers already have established programs for statewide reporting, which may serve as a resource for BTAUs or as a model for developing new reporting programs.

Sharing information with relevant parties can help the BTAU build and strengthen relationships both within its agency and with public safety partners in its community. This can foster an environment of trusted, proactive communication that may benefit the BTAU in its operations, including when seeking information for behavioral threat assessments or assistance in managing individuals of concern, and when responding to imminent threats of harm as described above.

If visible, social media content may provide insight into an individual’s behavior, mindset, interests, and activities, all of which are useful when assessing an individual’s risk of engaging in violence.

Partner agencies and fusion centers may employ specialized analysts who can assist BTAUs in open-source information gathering.

In many cases, an individual of concern may be experiencing a personal crisis or other stressful event.

For example, a statement such as, “We are concerned that you might hurt someone, and we want to work with you to figure out a better way forward,” communicates an expectation for safe and nonviolent behavior and demonstrates a willingness to provide support. Approaches like this can help to dissuade someone from considering violence and create further opportunity for rapport building.

Conversely, positive home life factors may include supportive families, healthy relationships, and other dynamics that could support intervention strategies to mitigate risk.

The content of the concerning communications may reveal information on threats, grievances, violent intention, feelings of hopelessness/suicidality, obsessions, paranoid thinking, or a fascination with violence or weapons.

A history of violence may reveal signs of an escalation in aggressive behavior, for example, moving from property crimes to crimes against persons.

Extreme beliefs may be based on distortion of facts (e.g., conspiracy theories) or may advocate distrust, hatred, or the use of violence targeting others based on biases against a particular race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity.

Fixations often carry an angry or emotional undertone and may be evidenced through an individual’s extreme beliefs, grievances, interest in violence or weapons, and stalking or harassing behaviors.

This may be evidenced through changes in mood, appearance, or hygiene; withdrawing or isolating from others; new or increased substance use; sudden aggressive, violent, or threatening behavior; changes in work or school attendance or performance; signs of depression or paranoia; or other uncharacteristic actions that demonstrate a distinct change from an individual’s baseline behavior.

An individual’s inability to perceive an improvement in their situation may lead to feelings of extreme distress, depression, frustration, and the perception that violence is the only option to cope with their circumstances.

This may be marked by impulsive angry outbursts, significant overreaction to circumstances or events, or frequent episodes of verbal or physical aggression directed at others.

When inconsistencies are found, these may be indicative of efforts to conceal violent intentions or behavior.

Individuals may also engage in final acts intended to make a statement or to prepare for their inevitable arrest or death. These acts may include drafting a last will and testament, making financial arrangements for family members, leaving farewell messages or notes, posting goodbye messages online, and selling or giving away personal possessions.

Motives are often multifaceted, and an individual’s desire to act violently may not be driven by one factor in isolation.

Having a positive rapport with an individual of concern can be helpful in encouraging voluntary out-of-home storage.

This strategy can be helpful for BTAUs operating in a state where there are no avenues for court-ordered removal or situations in which the criteria for court ordered removal have not been met.

In some cases, connecting an individual with mental health evaluation and treatment services may be one of the most valuable strategies for a BTAU to pursue.

In addition to private treatment providers, individuals of concern may also be able to access free, charitable, and other community-based treatment programs.

This information could be used by the provider to inform the evaluation and treatment plan for the individual of concern.

For example, the BTAU might evaluate whether their program has resulted in increased access to counseling and mental health services for individuals reported to the police department. Such a measure could be part of how the BTAU evaluates its consistency in coordinating interventions to address individual needs.

Other methods for assessing fidelity could involve tracking case documentation accuracy, consistency, and/or quality in alignment with established protocols.

Fidelity data such as these could, for example, help a unit manager explore more efficient practices for case processing if the BTAU is routinely exceeding established timeframes for completing assessments.

Through this process, BTAUs may identify success stories to share with relevant community partners, in accordance with any applicable privacy restrictions, to enhance awareness of the BTAU and promote engagement.