The Essentials of Threat Assessment – A DVD
In this
DVD, Jeff Daniels, Ph.D., a professor at Indiana University
Bloomington, Dept. of Counseling and Educational Psychology,
presents the latest information available on making accurate threat
assessments.
Professor Daniels – who has participated in a School Violence
Conference at the White House and is recognized for his expertise
nationally – has long worked with the F.B.I. in developing and
refining threat assessment practices for schools.
Highlights of the DVD include:
1.
Case Studies
2.
Types of Threats
a)
Direct
b)
Indirect
c)
Veiled
d)
Conditional
3.
Threat Assessment
a)
How
credible and serious?
b)
Are there
specific details?
c)
Are
details plausible?
d)
What are
the resources, intent and motivation?
e)
What is
the emotional content?
4.
Motivation
a)
To taunt
b)
To
frighten
c)
To gain
status
d)
To strike
back
5.
Levels of Risk
a)
Low
Level – a threat that poses
minimal risk to the victim and public safety.
i.
Threat is
vague and indirect
ii.
Information contained within the threat is inconsistent, implausible or
lacks detail.
iii.
Threat
lacks realism.
iv.
Content
of the threat suggests person is unlikely to carry it out.
b)
Medium
Level
– a threat that could be carried
out, although it may not appear entirely realistic.
i.
Threat is
more direct and more concrete than a low level threat.
ii.
Wording
in the threat suggests the threatener has given some thought to how the
act will be carried out.
iii.
There may
be a general indication of a possible place and time (though these signs
still fall well short of a detailed plan).
iv.
There is
no strong indication that the threatener has taken preparatory steps,
although there may be some veiled reference or ambiguous or inconclusive
evidence pointing to that possibility.
v.
There may
be a specific statement seeking to convey that the threat is not empty:
“I’m serious!”
c)
High
Level – a threat that appears
to pose an imminent and serious danger to the safety of others.
i.
Threat is
direct, specific and plausible.
ii.
Threat
suggests concrete steps have been taken toward carrying it out.
For example, statements indicating that the threatener has
acquired or practiced with a weapon or has had the victim under
surveillance.
6.
Recommendations
a)
Develop a
Threat Assessment Team
i.
Principal
or Assistant Principal
ii.
School
Resource Officer
iii.
School
Counselor, Psychologist, & Social Worker
b)
Establish
close working relationships with local law enforcement agencies.
c)
Obtain
training in threat assessment.
d)
Develop a
set of Threat Assessment Procedures.
e)
Implement
safety plan.
