Members of the community, such as family and friends, may offer critical insight into an individual's behavior and circumstances, especially during crises.
Members of the community (e.g., family, friends) may offer critical insight into an individual's behavior and current circumstances
Why inferred Descriptive 'may' about information sources; typed as guidance.
Seeking to interview community members will typically occur by requesting law enforcement support, and only in serious or high-risk situations.
Seeking to interview members of the community will typically occur by requesting the support of law enforcement and only in serious or high-risk situations
For current or former employees, emergency contacts in personnel files may help identify family and community members with personal information about the individual.
emergency contacts listed in their personnel file may help BTAM teams identify family and community members who have personal information about the individual
Why inferred Descriptive 'may' about a practical route; typed as guidance.
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.
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