Violent Extremism in Youth: Introducing the Assessment of Risk for Extremist Violence in Adolescents–Consultation Version (Areva-Cv)
Speakers: Caroline Logan, PhD & Natalie Pyszora, PhD
This presentation will describe the development and applications of the Assessment of Risk for Extremist Violence in Adolescents-Consultation Version (AREVA-CV). The AREVA-CV is an international collaboration, led by Dr Randy Borum, to establish a set of guidance for understanding and managing extremist violence risk in youth, which operationalises the structured professional judgement approach. This guidance will be made open access following the current consultation period, in order to support evidence-based and best practice in this important, challenging and rapidly developing area of harm prevention.
The Relevance of Personality Disorder in Threat Assessment and Management
Speakers: Brianne Layden, PhD &. Stephen Hart, PhD
Personality disorder is generally recognized as a risk factor for diverse forms of violence. This presentation will focus on the two types of personality disorder most strongly associated with violence risk, namely, borderline and psychopathic personality disorder. The presenters will discuss the features of borderline and psychopathic disorders and their legal and practical relevance in threat assessment and management. Key points will be illustrated using case studies.
What Are You Afraid Of? Managing Fear in BTAM
Speaker: Lynn Van Male, PhD
Fear is a fundamental human emotion, experienced across all cultures. BTAM practitioners often state that "managing fear" is one of the responsibilities of a trained multidisciplinary team, but how do we manage fear wisely and well? Dr. Van Male will explore the ways that fear affects our BTAM work, including the accuracy of our decision-making. She will offer effective and practical strategies for managing fear in 1) persons who are threatened, 2) persons who make threats, 3) organizations that receive threats, and most critically 4) BTAM team members who assess and manage threats.
Chatbots’ chilling advice: Inside an urgent new danger fueling violent attacks
Speaker: Mark Follman
This presentation will delve into a year of ongoing investigation into the emerging role of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots in helping troubled people fixate on grievances and plan targeted violence. In addition to my published reporting, I’ll draw on my conversations with Silicon Valley sources in AI and case evidence I obtained, including the FSU shooter’s full chat logs, to illuminate this fast-evolving phenomenon. A core through-line will be how BTAM practitioners might consider engaging with the technological, legal, and other complexities of this potent new factor in threat cases and attacks.
Intimate Partner Violence: A Proposed Model for Lethality Assessment
Speakers: Kelly Watt, PhD & Stephen Hart, PhD
Threat assessment professionals conducting violence risk assessments are always concerned about severe outcomes such as lethal or near-lethal violence, especially for cases involving intimate partner violence which could escalate to intimate partner femicide. This presentation will 1) review the nature of severe and lethal intimate partner violence, 2) discuss risk assessment tools for severe or lethal intimate partner violence, and 3) present a model for evaluating severe or lethal intimate partner violence. Cases will be used to emphasize key points and illustrate the application of the model. This presentation will be relevant for threat assessment professionals working in diverse sectors.
Assessing and Managing Violence Risk Factors Associated with Christian Nationalism
Speaker: Joshua Villines
This session provides an overview of the origins and tenets of Christian Nationalism, as well as the history of its links to violent rhetoric, interpersonal violence, and mass casualty events. It offers guidance for differentiating among those active in CN groups to identify subjects more likely to move from thought to action in committing acts of violence. In addition, this session will address the relevance of Christian Nationalism to “salad bar” ideology. The session closes with strategies for mitigating and managing the violence risk factors in subjects associated with Christian Nationalism.
RCMP Protective Behavioural Analysis Unit, an overview
Speaker: Sgt. Gabriel Letourneau
The RCMP Protective Behavioural Analysis Unit is a young team with the mandate to complete behavioural analysis and recommends management strategies for individuals who are at risk for violence or are pathologically fixated towards protected persons, in support of our protective policing partners. In this presentation, we will go over its beginnings, it’s structure, it’s objectives and then explore a series of cases of threats, violence and stalking towards protected persons.
Trauma-Informed Best Practices for Critical Incident Response Across Canada
Speakers: Theresa Campbell & Jen Chambers
Develop an understanding of Critical Incident Response and Management through the lens of a trauma-informed approach, which promotes a unified and equitable response, applied to Canadian communities. This session is designed by SST to assist Safety/Threat Assessment Teams in navigating critical incidents with intentional care and consistent practices. SST’s firsthand experience across Canada demonstrates the necessity for S/TA Teams to continue expanding their knowledge of trauma-informed response strategies, including new best practices—such as Digital Reunification in the aftermath of a tragic event and/or examining the valuable outcomes and potential challenges of establishing a memorial for a tragedy.
From Online Signals to Offline Threats: Detecting and Disrupting Nihilistic Violence
Speaker: Steven Rai
Nihilistic online ecosystems such as the True Crime Community and 764 network are fueling an increase in violent threats affecting Canada. Drawing on the Institute for Strategic Dialogue’s threat detection and prevention programming, this presentation highlights operational work that has directly contributed to the disruption of imminent threats originating from these ecosystems, including violent plots against schools. It demonstrates how early warning signals, which are often visible in public online spaces, can be identified, assessed, and escalated to enable timely intervention. The session also examines how open-source research can address gaps in monitoring capacity and information sharing across Canadian jurisdictions.
Combatting the Current Threat Landscape
Speakers: Randy Wagner & Nick Silva
The NCRIC combats the current threat landscape through collaboration with law enforcement, intelligence analysts, and public safety and private sector personnel throughout our 15-county area of responsibility in northern California. We rely on communication and strong relationships with these partners to help identify and mitigate these threats to provide safer communities. In this everchanging threat world the NCRIC has partnered with allied agencies and jurisdictions to create threat management teams all across California to work with our NORCAL Threat Management Group (TMG). This presentation will focus on our mission, the current threat landscape in California and the U.S., and how we collaborate with our local, state, and federal partners in risk and threat mitigation.
Attachment Theory and Its Application to Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management
Speaker: Karie Gibson, PsyD
Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams face challenges routinely on how to effectively manage threats. An innovative approach for consideration is how the incorporation of attachment theory into case management can be paramount for threat mitigation. Foundational work on attachment theory provides understanding of interpersonal dynamics directly relevant to BTAM. Suicidal thought is often a component of mass violence. Benefits exist to creating attachment for inoculation against low belonging and burdensomeness - both tenets of suicidal risk. Current research provides a foundational understanding for how to incorporate attachment into an operational approach to prevent mass violence.
Incel and the hybridization of extremist threats
Speaker: Peter Collins, MD, MCA, FRCPC
Violent incidents in North America have been perpetrated by individuals who identify with the misogynistic and male supremacy ideology. The rise of the incel community is another example of online extremism and there are known links to white supremacy groups, racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and men’s rights activism. They share a sense of entitlement reflecting a belief they are owed jobs, racial/socioeconomic status, and/or sex, because they are superior to women. The purpose of the presentation will be to discuss the incel extremist belief system, its relationship with autism spectrum disorder, and the endorsement and encouragement that members consider suicide or homicide-suicide. Case examples will be presented and discussed.
From Online Triage to Local Support: Diversions as a Preventive Approach and the Role of INDEX
Speaker: Alexander Sievers
Online threats require collaborative, cross-sector assessment and solutions alike. This interactive session explores the critical intersection of technology platforms and frontline threat assessment practitioners. Using the "Diversions Approach" online triage pilot and the INDEX international practitioner network as tangible case studies, Violence Prevention Network (VPN) examine the benefits and challenges of global, tech-practitioner cooperation. We aim to spark discussion on establishing ethical, platform-embedded referral pathways and sharing operational knowledge across borders. Emphasizing the Canadian context, we will collaboratively explore how practitioners can leverage tech partnerships to connect online risks with localized, culturally competent interventions.
Share Your Knowledge with Others in the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM)
Speaker: Jim Cawood, PhD
You have experiences and knowledge that you can share with others. Practitioners learn from each other, which is why you are at the CATAP conference. Learn how to contribute to the threat assessment and management body of knowledge by writing for the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM). Learn what types of articles and contributions are welcomed, what is expected in terms of form, what reviewers are expected to consider, and what simple practical and, often free, tools can help you write an article that is publishable. Writing is a growth opportunity for you, adding to your professional reputation.
The Risk Behind the Resume: Behavioral Threat Assessment and Undisclosed Self-Harm in a University Professor
Speaker: Malcolm McGuire
This case study examines a university professor who made credible threats of targeted violence against students and self-harm, prompting a multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment. The investigation revealed previously undisclosed self-harm history known to a colleague, highlighting critical gaps in information sharing, leakage recognition, and institutional response. Using established behavioral threat assessment frameworks, the presentation analyzes the progression along the pathway to violence and missed opportunities for intervention. Emphasis is placed on the ethical and operational tensions between privacy and safety, offering a practical lesson for threat assessment teams that manage vulnerabilities in academic environments.
Recognizing and Addressing Incivility - The First Step To Threat Assessment & Management
Speaker: Dean Correia
New research conducted by The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Security Executive Council (SEC) reveals a sharp uptick in uncivil behavior, rule-breaking and violence globally – trends that are eroding workplace morale, straining businesses, and costing billions in lost productivity. Recognizing, reporting, and addressing incivility quickly are effective threat management tactics. This upward trend in threatening and violent behaviors presents a multi-faceted risk to businesses: immediate physical danger to people, financial and legal exposure, and long-term brand and cultural damage. Organizations must be prepared with a plan and solution options.