26 claims on pp. 7–74 (fact 4, statement 13, evidence 3, conclusion 1, definition 5).
Assessment themes are areas of inquiry that give a contextual understanding of an individual's mindset, behavior, and circumstances, allowing a BTAM team to judge whether the individual poses a risk of violence.
Areas of inquiry that, when explored, will provide a contextual understanding of an individual's mindset, behavior, and circumstances
BTAM teams should use the Systems Approach and explore relevant Assessment Themes when gathering information and determining risk.
BTAM teams should utilize the Systems Approach and explore relevant Assessment Themes
NTAC presented 20 Assessment Themes established by 25 years of NTAC research and the Secret Service's unique operational expertise in violence prevention.
NTAC presented the 20 Assessment Themes that have been established by 25 years of NTAC research
The Assessment Themes are presented in NTAC's 2024 guide for state and local law enforcement, Behavioral Threat Assessment Units.
Behavioral Threat Assessment Units: A Guide for State and Local Law Enforcement to Prevent Targeted Violence (2024)
Assessment Themes are areas of inquiry that, when explored, provide a contextual understanding of an individual's mindset, behavior, and circumstances that will allow a BTAM team to assess if the individual poses a risk of violence.
Areas of inquiry that, when explored, will provide a contextual understanding of an individual's mindset, behavior, and circumstances
Assessment Themes can also help identify relevant protective factors, which can reduce an individual's risk by bolstering their capacity to cope.
Assessment Themes can also help identify relevant protective factors for an individual of concern
Assessment Themes are not intended to be used as a checklist to predict who will engage in violence.
Importantly, Assessment Themes are not intended to be used as a checklist to predict who will engage in violence
The themes allow teams to distinguish situational behaviors, such as temporary frustrations or poor communication, from more persistent, escalating patterns of concern.
these themes allow BTAM teams to distinguish between situational behaviors, such as temporary frustrations or poor communication, and more persistent, escalating patterns of concern
There are three categories of Assessment Themes: contextual themes, behavioral themes, and summative themes.
There are three relevant categories of Assessment Themes: contextual themes, behavioral themes, and summative themes
Instead, these themes provide a structured framework to guide the gathering and integration of information about the individual of concern.
these themes provide a structured framework to guide the gathering and integration of information about the individual of concern
This framework helps BTAM professionals look beyond isolated incidents and evaluate behavior in a broader context.
This framework helps BTAM professionals look beyond isolated incidents and evaluate behavior in a broader context.
This approach ensures decisions are not made based on subjective judgments or initial impressions, but instead on a comprehensive and methodical review of relevant information.
This approach ensures decisions are not made based on subjective judgments or initial impressions, but instead on a comprehensive and methodical review of relevant information.
Assessment Themes characterize common patterns of thinking and behavior found in the background and behavioral history of individuals who have engaged in past acts of targeted violence.
Assessment Themes characterize common patterns of thinking and behavior found in the background and behavioral history of individuals who have engaged in past acts of targeted violence.
While BTAM teams gather information from internal and external systems, the Assessment Themes should guide evaluation of the individual's behaviors, personal circumstances, and relevant environmental factors that may increase, decrease, or contextualize concern.
While BTAM teams gather information from the internal and external systems relevant to the individual of concern, these Assessment Themes should guide the team’s evaluation of the individual’s behaviors, personal circumstances, and relevant environmental factors which may increase, decrease, or contextualize concern.
Gathering both positive details, such as a supportive family, and negative details, such as familial discord, establishes the context of an individual's circumstances.
Gathering both positive details (e.g., caring and supportive family) and negative details (e.g., familial discord and violence) about these factors will establish the context
Contextual themes represent significant elements of an individual's personal circumstances and surroundings that may impact their thinking and behavior.
Contextual themes represent significant elements of an individual’s personal circumstances and surroundings that may impact their thinking and behavior.
The presence of behavioral themes alone cannot predict whether an individual will become violent, but it will inform the final assessment and management strategies.
the presence of these behavioral themes alone cannot predict if an individual will become violent
Summative themes represent key questions that must be answered as part of an overall assessment.
Summative themes represent key questions that must be answered as part of an overall assessment
Figure 11 illustrates the contextual, behavioral, and summative themes that may be relevant to an assessment.
Figure 11 illustrates the contextual, behavioral, and summative themes that may be relevant to an assessment
Individuals of concern can exhibit characteristics or behaviors relevant to one or more assessment themes.
Individuals of concern can exhibit characteristics or behaviors relevant to one or more assessment themes
Each assessment theme should be understood in the context of an individual's full background and behavioral history.
Each assessment theme should be understood in the context of an individual's full background and behavioral history.
Figure 11 lists the contextual themes: Stressors, Home Life, Mental Health, Criminal History, Interpersonal Difficulties, and Lack of Consequences.
Lack of Consequences
Figure 11 lists the behavioral themes: Concerning or Threatening Communications, Interest in Violent Topics, History of Violence, Stalking, Harassing, or Bullying, Extreme Beliefs, Fixations, Behavior Changes, Desperation or Despair, and Intense Anger or Aggression.
Intense Anger or Aggression
Why inferred Figure 11 omits Inconsistency and Planning and Final Acts, which pp.69-70 describe as behavioral themes (11 in total); the figure thus shows 18 themes against the 20 stated on p.67.
Figure 11 lists the summative themes: Motives, Elicited Concern in Others, and Access to Weapons.
Elicited Concern in Others
The case table maps the attacker to contextual themes (stressors, interpersonal difficulties, mental health, criminal history), behavioral themes (intense anger or aggression, history of violence, stalking, harassing, or bullying, concerning or threatening communications), and summative themes (access to weapons, elicited concern in others, motive), each with case details such as financial hardship, felony convictions, and a purchased firearm.
Contextual Themes
The BTAM team should make this determination by considering all information obtained using the Systems Approach and relevant Assessment Themes and situational factors.
The BTAM team should make this determination by considering all information obtained using the Systems Approach and considering relevant Assessment Themes
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