INTELLIGENCE Volume 1, Issue 8, December 2012

Welcome to the eighth issue of Intelligence.

Intelligence will keep you up to date with the recent advances in threat assessment from around the globe.
World-leading threat assessment figures have agreed to share their knowledge and experiences and serve on the Intelligence editorial board.

We also encourage you to contribute and provide feedback.

Our latest message from the CATAP President, Detective Keith Hammond, which highlights the recent tragedy in Newtown, can be found in this issue, along with other research and practice news and views.

We hope Intelligence will continue to provide a forum for you to share and develop your expertise in threat assessment.
Sincerely,

Kelly A. Watt, PhD
Threat Assessment Specialist
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

Latest Research

Literature Review Reveals that More Studies of Honor Killings are Needed

The international problem of honor-related violence against women and children has in recent years received considerable attention from the media, human rights organizations, and policy makers. But while the seriousness of the problem is undisputed, there remain serious gaps in our knowledge about these horrible crimes. This is due in part to the underreporting of the phenomenon, political and cultural barriers to research, and the lack of systematic studies describing the nature of the crimes, victimology, and the risk factors associated with honor killings. Kulczycki and Windle have made one of the first attempts to synthesize the diverse literature in this area.

The authors focused on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a region highly populated with the patriarchal and patrilineal societies associated with honor killings. They reviewed 40 English language studies set in Jordan, Turkey, Gaza/West Bank, Israel, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon. Most of the studies have publication dates after the year 2000. They noted that most of the articles are descriptive rather than analytic, which mirrors the literature on honor-related violence in general. Further, they found that while most of the articles discussed definitions of violence and provided theoretical explanations for honor killings, only nine articles provided statistics about incidence and characteristics of perpetrators and victims. The authors also identified significant methodological limitations in the majority of the studies, including a scarcity of data, questionable reliability and validity of information, and small, non-representative samples.

Despite concerns about the quality of existing studies, the review produced some interesting findings. The paper revealed considerable consensus about the communal, patriarchal nature of honor killings, with the primary motive of controlling female sexuality and resources within the family. Another common theme is the underreporting of this crime – which plagues the reliability of statistics – due to misreporting incidents as suicides, disappearances, or accidents. In studies that did compile statistics, it was apparent that victims are most commonly young (most under the age of 25) females who were perceived to have transgressed against the honor of the family. Perpetrators were most often the brother, father, or husband of the victim, although other male relatives were also involved. Finally, the authors also described common “sociostructural determinants,” such as state and government structures that do little to challenge patriarchal systems or interfere in the familial context of honor violence. Collectively, the studies reinforce the notion that women living in these societies might fear or lack confidence in the police or other authorities that might otherwise be able to protect them.

Kulczycki and Windle use the findings of the review to help support a number of useful recommendations for a “way forward.” They provide suggestions for facilitating change in legal systems, public policy, health agencies, and public awareness. Overall, this is a well researched and well presented paper that makes a valuable contribution to the field. As the article itself demonstrates, however, there remains a great need for more quality studies on honor killings and honor-related violence in general.

Kulczycki, A & Windle, S. (2011). Honor killings in the Middle East and North Africa: A systematic review of the literature. Violence Against Women, 17(11), 1442-1464.

 

Practice Update

Interview Protocol for Documenting a Suspect’s State of Mind

A new interview protocol has been developed by Dr. Park Dietz to assist investigators in documenting a suspect’s state of mind. The Dietz Mental State Interview (DMSI) was developed based on Park’s extensive experience addressing insanity and other mental state defenses and advising law enforcement on active investigations.

Documenting the suspect’s state of mind at the time of commission is particularly relevant to support the voluntariness and competency of confessions suspects have made as well as to challenge a suspect’s claims of denial and amnesia in subsequent proceedings. The DMSI will increase the likelihood of clarifying issues related to mental state that may play an important role in future charging decisions, suppression hearings, trials, and sentencing (e.g., voluntariness of confessions, competence to confess, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity).

Park recommends administering the DMSI immediately after obtaining a confession from a suspect or during the overall interview. He also strongly advises video or audio recording the interview as an effective means of preserving the evidence. The protocol consists of 38 suggested questions that are intended to be delivered in a semi-structured fashion and which can we tailored to interviews with those claiming amnesia or denying commission. To obtain a free copy of the DMSI see the FBI website.

Dietz, P. (2012). Documenting a suspect’s state of mind. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 13-18.

 

Book Review

Preventing Workplace Bullying: An Evidence Based Approach

Workplace bullying is a serious issue that has gained increased attention over the last decade largely due to better awareness of the widespread prevalence of the problem, the psychological harm to targets, and the financial costs to workplaces as a result of bullying. Changes that have been made to occupational health and safety laws and workers compensation acts have increased the burden of responsibility workplaces have in responding to bullying.

In their practical guide, Preventing Workplace Bullying: An Evidence-Based Guide to Preventing Workplace Bullying for Managers and Employees, Carlo Coponecchia and Anne Wyatt take an evidence-based approach to understanding, preventing, identifying, and responding to workplace bullying. The authors have extensive experience in the areas of workplace hazards, occupational health and safety, and risk management and apply these frameworks to address the issue of workplace bullying. Their guide does an excellent job of defining workplace bullying and highlighting how it occurs within the context of the perpetrator(s), the target(s), and the situational, organizational, and societal context in which it occurs. It then discusses the prevalence and implications of bullying – with an estimated 1 in 10 people being likely to experience bullying the emotional and financial consequences are substantial. The authors follow up with a review of responsibilities of managers and workplace, the legal implications for bullying in many countries, and best practice recommendations for the management and prevention of bullying (e.g., using risk management systems, implementing complaints procedures). The guide sums up with concrete strategies and helpful resources for targets of bullying and real case studies are scattered throughout to help reinforce the information and skills presented.

For those of you who use structured professional judgment to assess and manage violence, this guide will feel remarkably consistent with how you go about understanding, assessing and managing violence risk. However, it may stimulate our thinking further to consider the organizational and societal context in which both bullying and violence occurs and the wide spectrum of behavior we have a responsibility to consider and address when considering problems in the workplace.

Caponecchia, C. & Wyatt, A. (2011). Preventing workplace bullying: An evidence-based guide to preventing workplace bullying for managers and employees. Allen and Unwin. [ISBN: 9781742373461].

 

Industry Association News

Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals
Message from President Keith Hammond

I have written and rewritten this year-end note several times since December 14, 2012 as I struggle to process the abject horror of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

Many people are now ending the year on a profoundly sad note but to everyone in the field of threat assessment and risk management, these events inspire soul searching challenges. People will be asking “why” and “how” this happened, looking for simple solutions such as gun control. Like many of you, I find myself looking for mitigation opportunities and deliberating on how I might have assessed the risk at that moment. We don’t know if there were any such opportunities, or if those involved had any training in our field. Thinking about the tragedy and the substantial responsibility everyone in this field embraces, compels me to pause and thank you. You’ve made a choice to put yourself in the taxing position of trying to avert carnage so that the world does not again have to see photographs of innocent five and six year olds who have died so unnecessarily. The pictures of children in happier times are so overwhelmingly sad to view – events that are too often repeated around the world. We also have to thank your employers who have supported your continued training through challenging economic times. I’m also extremely grateful to the generous support provided by our sponsors who enable us to host workshops and conferences while receiving little direct benefit. There is a nobility within our sponsorship group that is to be honoured and respected. In a world demanding direct and tangible return for investment our sponsors rely on good-faith that their investment enables you to make a difference.

The horror and sadness need not be in vain. Let it remind us of why we commit so much to our discipline. The pain of these events inspires us to learn more, and share more of our experience so that others may benefit. This is why our association was created, to serve as a platform for furthering education and establishing support and resource networks. Driven by heart-wrenching events such as Newtown, our association will work with renewed vigor to bring you the best support and training available.

With sad irony our CATAP Executive recently decided to devote time at next year’s conference to violence in post-secondary institutions. We are also looking at cyber-bullying in schools owing to the real and heartbreaking consequences it can have on youth. These incidents are all too common but few have been more painfully illustrated than by Amanda Todd, a Vancouver area teenager who documented her pain on YouTube just days before taking her own life.

Our workshop/conference will once again be at the Banff Springs Hotel from October 26 – 30, 2013, amended to avoid conflicting with Halloween. Please refer to our website for additional information.

I’ve been in policing for over 31 years and my overarching goal – one shared by all police officers – has always been to ensure I returned home safely at the end of every shift. As the president of CATAP I’ve been reflecting on our mission and purpose and believe that we work to ensure that others can return home to their families and loved ones at the end of the day – just as those at Sandy Hook Elementary should have done. I thank you for your commitment to that truly noble goal.

Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals
Conference Recap Message from Vice President Detective Elisabeth Willcox

2012 marked CATAP’s 4th annual Threat Assessment conference that was a great success with over 160 delegates! The conference was once again held at the historical Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta between September 23 and 28. We enjoyed a week of beautiful weather and incredible scenery.

This year we were so pleased to have Canadian attendees from British Columbia to Newfoundland! Truly a complete representation of Canada for the first time and we can’t wait to strengthen all of those relationships. Our American delegates travelled from New York, Virginia, Washington, Georgia, and California and our European delegates from as far away as Sweden and the Netherlands. It was great to be able to once again strengthen our relationships with those representatives from each of the global Threat Assessment Associations—ATAP, EATAP and AATAP. This was a wonderful turnout for us, and solidified our pride in attracting the best in Threat Assessment from around the world. As well as being a geographically diversified group, our professional group included those in law enforcement, criminal justice, security, health care, education, government, and private settings.

This year’s conference began with a focus on two workshop days in Foundational and Advanced Threat Assessment and Risk Management, led by Drs. Kelly Watt and Stephen Hart from Proactive Resolutions and our very own Director, Keith Dormond. Without the calibre of instruction they provided, these workshops would not have been the huge success that they were.

The first day of the conference focused on workplace violence. Our keynote speaker this year was S/Sgt Tammy Fryer-Dugan who spoke about the tragedy that befell her good friend Lori Dupont, a nurse at a Windsor Ontario hospital who was killed by her ex-partner, a doctor working at the same hospital. The domestic violence and stalking that characterized this case sparked new workplace violence legislation in Ontario that has been implemented across North America. We listened to a very informative panel of experts discuss the legal implications of workplace violence, and the day was completed with a talk by Dr. Reid Meloy from Forensis Inc., who shared with us his vast knowledge on the topic of workplace violence and the use of the WAVR-21.

The second day of the conference highlighted the challenges of assessing honour-based violence with a presentation by Kingston Police on the horrific homicides of the Shafia family in 2009. This was followed by a discussion of how the PATRIARCH can assist investigators with risk factors in these types of crimes. Other fascinating topics included internet crimes, serial sexual predators, malingering and mental illness, and sovereign citizens. All of our speakers this year shed light on the risk factors for these individual types of violence and how we as professionals in this field need to be continually learning in order to be as effective as we can in trying to prevent these crimes and protect our communities — which really is what threat assessment is all about.

Our business secretary and social director Tracey Marshall was once again able to offer all the delegates a fantastic social schedule where we could all relax and get to know each other in a less formal setting! It was great to get to know everyone at our official ice breaker, sponsored by our friends at Investigative Network Solutions, with a “Martini Night” theme! While we are speaking of sponsors, I would like to thank all who played a role in the success of this year’s conference including Proactive Resolutions Inc., Seaspan, Investigative Network Solutions, Crisis & Trauma Resource Institute, Devon Energy, Roper Greyell, and the National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence. Without the kind support of these companies, we would be unable to bring you the high quality conference you have come to expect every year at CATAP.

Everyone mark your calendars next year for October 26-30, 2013 at the Banff Springs, and while we had to change the dates a wee bit due to hotel availability, we are hoping to see everyone and renew our friendships!

Product Updates

HCR-20 Version 3

Version 3 of the HCR-20 will be released later this year. The official launch date will coincide with a 1-day conference to be held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland, on April 15, 2013. There will be presentations by various people at this conference, including several of the authors – Drs. Henrik Belfrage, Kevin Douglas, and Stephen Hart. For more information on the conference, visit:
violenceriskassessment.com/workshops.php

Also, a series of basic and advanced trainings in the use of Version 3 is being scheduled at locations throughout the UK. All these trainings will be led by one or more of the authors, and participants will receive a copy of the Version 3. The tentative schedule of dates and location includes:
• April 16-17, Edinburgh (Basic)
• April 17-18, Edinburgh (Advanced)
• May 13-14, Leeds (Basic)
• May 16-17, TBD (Advanced)
• June 24-25, TBD (Basic)
• June 27-28 TBD (Advanced)
• September 16-17, Bristol (Basic)
• September 19-20, Leeds (Advanced)
• October 21-22, Cardiff (Basic)
• October 24-25, Birmingham (Advanced)
• November 25-26, London (Basic)
• November 28-29 Leeds (Advanced)

For more details, schedule updates, and registration information, please visit the ProActive ReSolutions website at:
www.proactive-resolutions.com

 

Special Announcements

New Services: Threat Assessment Support

In response to feedback from participants of our foundational and advanced threat assessment and management trainings, ProActive ReSolutions is now providing threat assessment support for professionals conducting threat assessments on an individual or team basis. The goal of the support is to assist professionals with implementing the skills they have learned into practice and to develop their competence and confidence in this area. The support involves reviewing and providing feedback on threat assessment reports written by individuals or team members, either verbally or in writing, and consulting about assessment and management of cases on an individual or team basis via phone, email, or Skype.

Journal of Threat Assessment and Management

Do you have something important to communicate to your peers about threat assessment – things such as recommendations for working with specific groups of people or in specific settings, how your threat assessment team or unit operates, a case study, or research findings? Keep in mind the Journal of Threat Assessment and Management (JTAM).

As we announced in the last issue, JTAM is a scholarly journal publishing peer-reviewed papers representing the science and practice of risk for violence and fear-inducing behavior. It is published by the American Psychological Association. The first issue of the journal will appear in Spring 2013.
JTAM is now accepting submissions on topics such as: • Targeted violence
• Threats against public figures
• Stalking
• Intimate partner and family violence
• Terrorism
• Group violence
• Sexual violence
• Workplace, school, and campus violence
• Assessment instruments and procedures
• Management strategies and tactics
• Threat assessment teams and units
• Operational issues
• Professional issues
• Legal issues
• Best practices

JTAM will be an official publication of the major international threat assessment associations – ATAP, AATAP, AETAP, and CATAP. The Senior Editorial Board members are Drs. Stephen D. Hart, Jens Hoffmann, J. Reid Meloy, and Lisa Warren.

For more information, contact one of the SEB members or visit the journal’s website at:
www.editorialmanager.com/tam

 

Upcoming Events

Specialized Training Services
Assessing and Treating Sexual Offenders

February 4-5, 2013
Oakland, California, United States
Learn more

Specialized Training Services
Dynamics of the Child Sexual Abuser

February 6, 2013
Oakland, California, United States
Learn more

Specialized Training Services
Assessing Psychopathy and the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R)

February 7-8, 2013
Oakland, California, United States
Learn more

Multi-level Guidelines Training
Simon Fraser University

March 13-15, 2013
Vancouver, British Columbia
Learn more

Association of European Threat Assessment Professionals
Annual Conference

April 24-26, 2013
Vienna, Austria
Learn more

Foundation Threat Assessment and Risk Management Workshop
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

April 29-May 3, 2013
Vancouver, British Columbia
Learn more

Advanced Threat Assessment and Risk Management Workshop
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

April 29-May 3, 2013
Vancouver, British Columbia
Learn more

Foundational Violence Risk Assessment and Management Workshop
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

May 20-24, 2013
Toronto, Ontario
Learn more

Advanced Violence Risk Assessment and Management Workshop
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

May 27-31, 2013
Toronto, Ontario
Learn more

Association of Threat Assessment Professionals
Annual Conference

August 13-16, 2013
Anaheim, California
Learn more

Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals
Annual Conference

October 26 – 30, 2013
Banff, Alberta

Australasian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals
Annual Conference

November 14-16, 2013
Melbourne, Australia

 

Contribute

We welcome ideas for contributions from all readers.

E-mail your suggestions to the editor ([email protected])
or associate editor ([email protected])
.

Provide Feedback

Let us know what you like, what you want to read more about, or what you hope to see in the future.

Email your feedback to the editor ([email protected]) or associate editor ([email protected]).

Visit us at www.proactive-resolutions.com
Follow us on twitter@buildingrespect

 

Editorial Board

Henrik Belfrage
Mid Sweden University

Keith Hammond
Vancouver Police Department / President, CATAP

Stephen D. Hart
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.

David James
Fixated Threat Assessment Centre

  1. Randall Kropp
    ProActive ReSolutions Inc.
  2. Reid Meloy
    Forensis, Inc.

Kris Mohandie
Operational Consulting International, Inc.

John Monahan
University of Virginia

James R. P. Ogloff
Monash University

Mario Scalora
University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Glenn Sheil
Ontario Provincial Police

Lorraine Sheridan
Heriot Watt University

Rachel Solov
San Diego County / President, ATAP

Bram van der Meer
Black Swan Forensics / President, AETAP

Kelly A. Watt
ProActive ReSolutions Inc.