Prevention

Preventing targeted violence in our workplaces requires a team approach

we offer a blueprint to support agencies, organizations, and other workplaces as they work tirelessly to ensure the safety of their workforce

A behavior-based approach to proactively prevent incidents of targeted violence.

involves the publication of research and guidance for our public safety partners across the United States

Over two decades of NTAC research has continually affirmed that targeted violence can be prevented when communities are equipped with the knowledge and resources to recognize the warning signs and intervene

to support organizational safety stakeholders in a variety of professional roles, including those responsible for management, security, human resources, information technology, cybersecurity, and insider threat

Bystander reporting and intervention can avert planned acts of targeted violence.

Preventing targeted workplace violence is everyone's responsibility.

All employees, including supervisors, managers, front-line employees, and professionals in security, human resources (HR), and other positions and departments, have a role to play in violence prevention.

offer a scalable 8-step framework to assist organizations of differing sizes and resources to take proactive action and reduce the risk of targeted workplace violence

This publication offers key research findings and operational guidance for preventing acts of targeted workplace violence.

This publication is designed to promote organizational safety by offering information and guidance that can be used to establish a program to proactively prevent incidents of targeted workplace violence.

A guide to implement an organizational behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) program based upon the proactive approach to violence prevention used by the U.S. Secret Service.

opportunities for intervention and prevention were often present, as many attackers elicited concern in others and often were motivated by grievances with the workplace

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

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

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.

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

Adopting a prevention mindset through a commitment to employee safety and support is an important first step to reduce the risk of targeted violence in the workplace.

The human and financial costs underscore the importance for organizations to take action to reduce the risk of workplace violence.

Targeted workplace violence can be prevented when organizations commit to a proactive approach to violence prevention.

The threat manager attempted to convince organizational leaders of the importance of proactive violence prevention efforts to avoid similar incidents.

You can personalize violence prevention. You can make it close to home.

In bigger organizations, someone knows someone who knows someone who has been impacted by a tragedy.

You can create an energy about prevention that can inspire people and fuel their care.

All employees have a role in preventing violence at their workplace.

Developing sound programmatic infrastructure for a workplace BTAM program is important to creating an effective process for targeted violence prevention.

Having a dedicated policy for the BTAM program can help to create a more comprehensive prevention program capable of addressing a continuum of behaviors and concerns.

For example, describe the program's dedication to workplace safety and proactive prevention of violence.

The responsibility for violence prevention belongs to everyone in a workplace.

One of the most important actions an employee can take to prevent violence is to report any concerning behaviors they witness.

It is best practice to use a low threshold of concern during the BTAM process, not to label an individual as a potential threat, but to allow for early intervention.

Early intervention enables organizations to identify, assess, and manage the possibility of a negative outcome long before violence becomes imminent.

BTAM teams can use these tools to proactively identify concerning behaviors and intervene.

The guidance in this publication is intended to help prevent targeted workplace violence from impacting all personnel, including executives.

These similarities make insider threat programs well-positioned to support BTAM teams in identifying and mitigating risk before it escalates to violence.

While many of the violence prevention strategies described in this publication can be useful for reducing the risk of violence in healthcare settings

healthcare organizations may also adopt other specific strategies to enhance the safety of patients, healthcare workers, and others

Organizational climate also plays a vital role in preventing targeted workplace violence.

It is important for all employees to recognize safety as a priority and a community responsibility.

Organizations should strive to foster a culture of safety in the workplace to ensure all employees understand their role in ensuring the workplace is safe from violence.

But if you do it right, it’s less likely someone will go off the deep end.

Organizations should invest in training that provides all employees with the knowledge and resources necessary for violence prevention.

it is important to consider what employees need to know about the BTAM process and what their responsibility is in violence prevention.

an overview of how BTAM fits within the larger workplace violence prevention strategy

The U.S. Secret Service has long held that prevention is the best form of protection.

has demonstrated that future tragedies are preventable if communities are equipped with the training and resources necessary to identify individuals of concern, assess their risk of violence, and intervene appropriately.

By following the steps in this operational guidance, organizations and their community safety partners can adopt the pioneering principles

Everyone has a role to play in keeping communities safe, and the Secret Service stands ready to support our public safety partners in this vital mission.

This publication offers both research and guidance intended to help organizations and their partners recognize concerning behaviors and intervene before violence can occur.

3 Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. (2020). Insider Threat Mitigation Guide.

Workplace Violence: Issues in Response.

Workplace Violence and Active Assailant – Prevention, Intervention, and Response.

13 Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. (2020). Insider Threat Mitigation Guide.

Preventing workplace violence: Security best practices.