Understanding Behavioral Threat Assessment: Preventing Violence Before It Happens

In today’s environment, the question facing schools and law enforcement isn’t if a threat will arise, but how prepared we are to recognize and manage it before it escalates. Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) offers a structured, evidence-based approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential threats of violence, long before a crisis occurs.

What Is Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management?

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management is a systematic process used to identify individuals who may pose a threat of violence and intervene before harm occurs. Rather than focusing on profiles or stereotypes, BTAM centers on observable behaviors, communications, and situational factors that indicate potential risk.

This approach is proactive, not punitive. The goal isn’t to label someone as dangerous, but to understand the underlying causes of concerning behavior, connect individuals to appropriate support systems, and prevent situations from escalating into violence.

The Process: Identify, Investigate, Assess, and Manage

1. Identify:

   The process begins with the recognition of concerning behaviors, such as threats, violent language, fixations on weapons, or significant changes in behavior. In a school setting, these observations often come from teachers, staff, or peers. In law enforcement, they may arise from community members, partners, or digital intelligence monitoring.

   
   

2. Investigate:

   The goal of the investigate stage is to gather the information necessary to identify whether or not a person may be on the pathway to violence, which would trigger a behavioral threat assessment.

   
   

3. Assess:

   A multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment team (BTAT) evaluates the nature and seriousness of the threat. The team typically includes representatives from law enforcement, mental health, education, and administration. Through structured interviews, data collection, and behavioral analysis, the team determines whether the person poses a low, moderate, high, or imminent threat to themselves or others and assesses their capacity, intent, and means to act.

   
   

4. Manage:

   Once risk is established, the team develops an individualized management plan. This may involve monitoring, counseling, family engagement, or law enforcement intervention. Effective threat management often focuses on building pathways to help, rather than simply imposing disciplinary action.

   
   

Why It Works

Behavioral Threat Assessment has been validated through decades of research by organizations such as the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. These studies consistently show that targeted acts of violence are rarely impulsive, they are preceded by warning behaviors, leakage, and opportunities for intervention.

By emphasizing collaboration and communication across systems, BTAM breaks down silos that traditionally separate law enforcement, mental health, and education. It replaces reactive responses with preventive, team-based problem-solving, ensuring that potential threats receive both accountability and support.

Building a Culture of Prevention

An effective threat assessment program requires more than a policy, it requires a culture of awareness and trust. This includes:

• Training staff and officers to recognize early warning signs.

• Encouraging reporting without fear of overreaction or stigma.

• Establishing clear protocols for communication and documentation.

• Integrating mental health resources and crisis response options.

When implemented correctly, BTAM not only prevents violence but also strengthens community relationships and supports individuals in crisis. It bridges the gap between safety and well-being, ensuring that prevention efforts are both compassionate and effective.

The Bottom Line

Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management is not about predicting the future, it’s about creating systems that make violence less likely. By empowering schools, houses of worship, the public sector, and law enforcement to identify warning signs early, assess them accurately, and intervene appropriately, communities can foster safer, more resilient environments for everyone.

-Author: Jordan Garza, Founder of Lifeline Strategies

Lifeline Strategies specializes in community health, resilience, and evidence-based approaches to improving public safety and well-being.