Part 2: A Guide for Workplace Violence Prevention

preventing targeted violence is possible if communities are equipped with the appropriate tools, training, and resources to recognize warning signs and intervene, namely through behavioral threat assessment and management

Behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) is a behavior-based approach to proactively prevent incidents of targeted violence.

The Secret Service originally pioneered this approach to prevent assassinations and safeguard the nation's leaders.

The Secret Service model has since been adapted to prevent many forms of targeted violence impacting communities, including acts of targeted workplace violence.

an individual of concern is any individual who has exhibited concerning behaviors that may indicate a potential risk of harm to themselves or others in the workplace setting.

An individual eliciting concern can be: a current or former employee; a customer, client, patient, and visitor; or a current or former romantic partner or relative of an individual connected to the workplace.

the Secret Service model is designed to identify individuals displaying threatening or concerning behavior, gather information to assess if an individual poses a risk of violence, and then manage the risk by implementing appropriate interventions.

The BTAM process is typically conducted by a multidisciplinary team comprised of personnel with diverse backgrounds, experience, and expertise, who take principal responsibility for identifying, assessing, and managing potential individuals of concern.

NTAC research and Secret Service operational experience have established that the BTAM process:

Is a systematic risk management approach. BTAM involves determining if an individual of concern poses a risk of violence while developing proactive management strategies to reduce the likelihood of a violent outcome.

the BTAM team should also evaluate information obtained from others who know the individual (e.g., colleagues, supervisors, family members), as well as lawfully accessible information contained in records, social media activity, and other forms of documentation.

A BTAM team should employ rapport-building techniques to facilitate positive engagement and successful intervention.

Acting at the first sign of concerning behavior, instead of waiting for a direct or explicit threat, improves the chances of preventing violence.

The BTAM process offers an opportunity to apply appropriate interventions before behavior escalates to criminality or violence.

Rather than focusing on demographic characteristics (e.g., gender, age, race, ethnicity), the BTAM process prioritizes understanding an individual's thinking and behavior.

Rather than attempting to predict who will act violently, the BTAM process should focus on identifying and addressing the concerning factors that appear to drive a person toward violence.

we offer a scalable eight-step framework for implementing a BTAM program in organizations of varying sizes and resources.

presents practical steps that workplace personnel can implement to successfully and proactively identify, assess, and manage individuals of concern, thereby reducing the risk of targeted workplace violence.

The strategies identified in this publication are intended to assist organizations in preventing all forms of targeted workplace violence, including violence toward an organization's employees, executives, customers, visitors, and others.

This guidance was informed by several methods and data sources, including the protective operations used by the Secret Service and decades of NTAC research, training, and consultation

NTAC also reviewed the extant literature on targeted violence and workplace violence prevention and conducted a series of informational interviews with personnel from a variety of organizations and industries, including retail, technology, food service, healthcare, education, entertainment, finance, government, and law enforcement.

Interview subjects participated on the condition of confidentiality to allow for an open discussion.

Participants represented a wide range of roles and disciplines, including professionals directly involved in organizational BTAM teams, as well as organizational executives, managers, supervisors, and personnel in human resources, security, insider threat, cybersecurity, and more.

Some points shared by interview subjects are utilized as "Voices from the Field" throughout this publication.

provide a practical roadmap for establishing a BTAM program that organizations can adapt to their size, structure, and resources

STEP 1 | Commit to Employee Safety and Support

STEP 2 | Establish BTAM Program Policy and Procedures

STEP 3 | Assemble a Multidisciplinary BTAM Team

STEP 4 | Identify and Process Reports of Concerning Behavior

STEP 5 | Gather Information to Assess for Risk

STEP 6 | Develop Risk Management Strategies

STEP 7 | Promote a Safe and Supportive Organizational Climate

STEP 8 | Provide Training for All Employees