Threat Assessment in Legal Settings Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Threat Assessment in Legal Settings flashcards as text
Which behavioral indicator is most associated with 'hunter' behavior in targeted courthouse violence research?
Answer: Surveillance and research of the target location prior to attack
Hunters engage in pre-attack planning including location surveillance, distinguishing them from 'howlers' who threaten but rarely act.
A litigant sends a letter to the courthouse stating 'You haven't seen the last of me.' This is best classified as:
Answer: An implicit threat warranting documented threat assessment follow-up
Implicit threats lack specific intent language but still warrant documentation and threat assessment evaluation.
In threat assessment, 'leakage' refers to:
Answer: Intentional or unintentional communication of intent before an attack
Leakage occurs when a person reveals their intent through statements, writings, or behaviors before committing violence.
When assessing a domestic violence subject who frequently appears at family court, which factor elevates risk the MOST?
Answer: Recent loss of custody combined with history of strangulation
Strangulation is a significant lethality predictor, and combining it with acute loss (custody) elevates risk substantially.
Which structured professional judgment tool is most commonly used for violence risk assessment in legal settings?
Answer: HCR-20
The HCR-20 (Historical-Clinical-Risk Management-20) is a widely validated structured professional judgment guide for violence risk.
A courthouse receives multiple phone calls from the same anonymous person expressing grievances about a judge. The MOST important next step is:
Answer: Document, attempt caller ID trace, and open a threat assessment case file
All credible repeated contacts should be documented, traced if possible, and evaluated through a formal threat assessment process.
The concept of 'grievance collectors' in targeted violence research describes individuals who:
Answer: Accumulate perceived wrongs over time and blame external parties for their problems
Grievance collectors externalize blame, build resentment over time, and are a recognized risk typology in targeted violence.