U.S.

DepartmentofJustice
OfficeofJusticePrograms

BULLETIN

B u r e a u

o f

J u s t i c e

A s s i s t a n c e

BureauofJusticeAssistance

ProtectingJudicialOfficials:
ImplementinganEffective
ThreatManagementProcess
Overview
A successfulthreatmanagementprocessconsistsof10basic
elements, eachintegraltoalltheothers.Theycomposethegolden
rulesofcontemporarythreatmanagementanddemonstratehowthe
judiciarycanidentify, assess, investigate, andmanagerisksof
violencetojudicialofficials.Followingthese10ruleswillallowthe
judicialthreatmanagertoimplementaneffectivethreatmanagement
process.

10GoldenRulesforEffectiveThreatManagement
Rule1. RecognizetheNeedforaThreatManagementProcess
Rule2. AssignResponsibilityofManagingCasestoTrainedThreat
Managers
Rule3. ProvideTrainingforandEstablishLiaisonWithProtectees
andCourt Staff
Rule4. CreateanIncidentTrackingSystemWithWellDocumented
Files
Rule5. EstablishLiaisonWithOtherAgencies
Rule6. UseConsistentandValidThreatAssessmentMethods
Rule7. ConductThoroughFactFinding
Rule8. ApplyThreatManagementStrategiesFlexiblyand
Intelligently
Rule9. CommunicateWithProtecteesinaProfessional,
Confident, andCompetentManner
Rule10. ManageCasesAppropriately

DomingoS.Herraiz, Director
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA
June2006

Bureau of
Justice Assistance

Rule1. RecognizetheNeedfor
a ThreatManagementProcess
Courtsresolvedisputes.Theyprovideaneutralarena
forjudgingemotionallychargedcontroversies.
Disputantsbringtheirquarrelsbeforethebench.Each
wantshisorherclaimsustained, eachrequests
vindication.Mostwhostandbeforethecourt
ultimatelyacceptthecourtsrulings, howeveradverse
totheirowninterests.Butsomewillnotandonlycare
fortheresultthatmostbenefitsthem.Whenthese
individualsviewsclashwiththecourtsdecision,
violencemayresult.
Whydocourtsneedthreatmanagementprograms?
Becauseangryindividuals, oncedeniedtheirown
senseofjustice, mayturntoviolenceforexoneration,
vengeance, orevensalvation.Theymaydirecttheir
anger, revenge, andfearsattheofficialswhopersonify
thejudicialprocess:thejudges, prosecutors, clerks,
andotherswhoworkwithinthesystem.Soitisno
coincidencewhentheseattacksoccuratthe
courthouse, asthebuildingitselfsymbolizesboth
dispensedanddesiredjustice.Withoutacompetent
threatmanagementprocesstoidentify, assess, and
managepotentialthreats, thejusticesystemrisks
missingany opportunitytointerveneanddefusethe
situation.

No comparablenationaldatahaveyetbeencompiled
on theriskstostateandlocaljudicialofficials.
InformalresearchbytheNationalSheriffs
Association(NSA)suggeststhatduringthepast35
years, eightstateorlocaljudgeshavebeenkilled.
Another13werephysicallyassaulted.Threelocal
prosecutorswerekilled, fourassaulted.Atleast5law
enforcementofficershavebeenkilledatlocal
courthouses, 27assaulted.Atleast42court
participantshavebeenkilledatlocalcourthouses
and53assaulted.InMarch2005, aFultonCounty,
Georgia, jailprisonerdelayedhisescapelongenough
toseekoutthejudgepresidingathistrial.After
overpoweringadeputysheriff, hekilledthejudgeand
a courtreporterinthecourtroom, thenkilledanother
deputysheriffoutsidethecourthouse.

RiskstoStateandLocalJudicialOfficials:The
Past35Years

8 stateorlocaljudgeshavebeenkilled.
13stateorlocaljudgeshavebeenphysically
assaulted.

3 localprosecutors havebeenkilled.
4 localprosecutorshavebeenassaulted.
5, ifnotmore, law enforcementofficers have
beenkilledatlocalcourthouses.

Inaddition, thenumberofthesedisgruntled
individualsappearstobegrowing.Reportsatthe
federallevelshowasteadyincreasethroughoutthe
1990sininappropriatecommunicationsorcontacts
(IC&Cs)directedtowardfederaljurists.Thenumberof
IC&CsreportedtotheU.S.MarshalsServicerose
fromacoupleofhundredayearintheearly1990sto
morethan700in2004.Since1979, threefederal
judgeshavebeenkilled.InMarch2005, aformer
claimantandsuspectconfessedtokillingafederal
judgeshusbandandmother.Priorto1979, onlyone
federaljudgewaskilled.1 Clearly, agroundshift
occurredthatresultedinasignificantincreaseinthe
risktofederaljudicialofficials.

27lawenforcementofficershavebeen
assaultedatlocalcourthouses.

42court participantshavebeenkilledatlocal
courthouses.

53courtparticipantshavebeenassaultedat
localcourthouses.
A 1999survey of1,029Pennsylvaniastatejudges
foundthat51.8percentreportedbeingthetargetof

1
Calhoun, FrederickS.1998.Hunters andHowlers:Threatsand
ViolenceAgainstFederalJudicialOfficialsintheUnitedStates,
17891993. Arlington, VA:U.S.DepartmentofJustice, U.S.Marshals
Service.

anIC&Csometimeduringthepreviousyear.In
addition, morethan25percentofthe1,029state
judgeswerephysicallyapproached, 1.2percentwere
assaulted, andmoredisturbingmorethanonethird
admittedthattheyhadchangedtheirjudicialconduct
asaresultoftheexperience.Judgescompelledto
changetheirjudicialconductmaysacrificejusticefor
security.Theriskextendsbeyondtheindividualjurists
andgoesdirectlytotheabilityofgovernmentatthe
state, local, orfederallevelstoensurejusticetoits
citizenry.Attacksonthejudiciaryareassaultsonthe
systemofjusticeoneofthemostcrucialelements
ofdemocraticselfgovernment.

Rule2. AssignResponsibility
ofManagingCasestoTrained
ThreatManagers
Establishingathreatassessmentprocessmustbe
emphasized, ratherthanathreatmanagementunitor
program, becauseaspecificcompositionorquantity
ofresourcesshouldbedeterminedlocally.Depending
onthesizeofthecourt, potentialnumberofIC&Cs
thatmightbereported, andnumberofcasesthat
mightbeopened, thethreatmanagementprocesscan
behandledby a fullystaffedunitofthreatmanagers
orbyonepersonasaparttimecollateral
responsibility.Workloadshouldbetheprincipal
criterionfordeterminingthenumberofpersonneland
resourcesdedicatedtotheprocess.
Whateverthesizeorcomposition, whoeveris
assignedthreatmanagementresponsibilitiesshould
betrained, andthetrainingshouldberefreshed
periodically.Anumberoforganizationsprovidethreat
managementtraining, andthereisagrowinglibrary of
research, articles, andbooksoncontemporarythreat
managementthatcanbeaccessedtobetterprepare
staff.Inaddition, agenciesandorganizations,

Rule3. ProvideTrainingfor
andEstablishLiaisonWith
ProtecteesandCourtStaff
Thenextstepinestablishinganeffectivethreat
managementprocessistotraincourtstaffinwhatto
reportandhowtoreportIC&Cs.Trainingstaffhelps
thethreatmanagerobtaintheinitialfacts,
unembellishedbyexaggerationorworry, asquicklyas
possible.Althoughkeystafflikejudges, prosecutors,
andchiefclerksshouldbewelltrained, themajority
of reportsthethreatmanagerwillreceivewillcome
fromreceptionists, mailhandlers, perimetersecurity
officers, parkinglotattendants, telephoneoperators,
cafeteriastaff, andthenewsstandoperator.Theseare
thepeoplewhodealmostwiththepublic.Theyare
morelikelytosee, hear, orreceiveanyIC&Cs, no
matterwhoistargeted.Trainingthemonwhat
informationtoreportandhowtoreportitwillensure
thatthethreatmanagergetsreportsonIC&Csina
timelyandaccuratemanner.

Rule4. CreateanIncident
TrackingSystemWith
WellDocumentedFiles
Controllingtheflowofinformationrequiresinformation
management.Dependingonworkload, managingthe
informationmayrequiresomethingassimpleasan
indexcardsystemorassophisticatedasacomputer
database.Thesystemneedstobedesignedto
retrieveinformationquicklyandefficiently.Itshould
includenotonlydemographicsonthesubject, butalso
keywordsusedbyortopicsofknowninteresttothe
subject.Thelattermayprovecrucialinidentifying
anonymoussubjects.Ataminimum, thefollowing
variablesshouldbecapturedforeachIC&C:

Casesynopsis.

includingtheOfficeofJusticeProgramsBureauof
JusticeAssistance, arereexaminingconceptssuchas
secureby designtodeterminetheirroleinthis
crimepreventionarena.

Casespecifics.
HowtheIC&Cwasdelivered.

 ContentofandexactquotesfromtheIC&C.
Suspectsdemographics.
Targetsdemographics.
Suspectsmotive, especiallyinrelationtoa
courtcase.
Withinformationonthesevariables, thethreat
managercanmanagecurrentcases, crossreference
previouscases, shareinformationoncontentious
casesorproblemindividualsasacaseworksitsway
uptheappellateprocessoracrossjurisdictions, and
createaninstitutionalmemoryforthatjudicialsetting.
Whateversystemiscreated, itshouldbedesignedfor
easysharingwithotheragenciesandjurisdictions,
ideallyaspartofregionalandnationalinformation
sharingnetworks.

whichtodesigntheimmediateprotectiveresponse,
setacourseoffactfinding, andbeginidentifyingthe
mostappropriatethreatmanagementstrategies.A
numberofexpertshavedevelopedsomefacile
assessmenttoolstohelpthemanagerthinkthrough
thecase.Forexample, therearenowtoolsthat
provideacomprehensiveapproachwhenused
together.Threatmanagerscanapplyeachtoolin
everyassessment, aseachallowsthethreatmanager
toexaminewhatisknownfromadifferentangle.In
combination, theyprovideathoroughassessmentof
theentiresituation.Employingallofthesetoolshelps
thethreatmanageridentifywhatisnot known, thus
givingdirectiontotheprotectivefactfinding.
Theseassessmenttoolsaddressfourbroadbut
relatedquestions.Ineachcase, thethreatmanager
shouldalwaysask:

Whatarethecircumstancessurroundingand

Rule5. EstablishLiaisonWith
OtherAgencies

contextoftheIC&C?

Whatstakesareinvolved, fromthesubjects

pointofview?

Itisabsolutelyvitalforthethreatmanagertoreach
outbeyondthecourthousetomakecontactwithlaw

Isthesubjectactinglikeahunter?2

enforcementagencies, privatesecurityfirmsthat
provideprotectiveservices, andotherjudicialentities.
Thethreatmanagermusthaveinformationflowing
fromallsources, bothinsideandoutsidethe
courthouse, becauseonlythroughinformationcanthe
threatmanagerbegintofillinthepiecesofthe
puzzle.Informationfromdisparatesourcescanlink
oneIC&Ctoanotherandrevealrelationships,
motives, pastbehaviors, andpreviousactionsofthe
subjectinandoutofcourt.

Rule6. UseConsistentand

ValidThreatAssessment

Methods

AfterreceivingtheinitialIC&Creport andgatheringas
manyfactsasareimmediatelyavailable, thethreat
managermustnextmakeaninitialassessmentfrom

Isthesubjectactinglike a howler?3
Eachofthesequestionsfocusesondifferentaspects
ofthesubjects behaviors, motive, andintentions.The
firstquestionsimplyrequiresthethreatmanagerto
describetheIC&C, howitwasdelivered, towhomit
wasdeliveredanddirected, whatmessageitsaysor
conveys, andwhatmayhavepromptedit.Thesecond
questiondealswithwhatmaybeatstakeinanycourt
caseinvolvingthesubject.Itaddresseshow
desperateordriventowardviolencethesubjectfeels.
Thethirdquestionseekstodetermineifthesubject
hasengagedinbehaviorscommontoattackersor
assassins.Thefourthquestiontakestheopposite

Huntersarepeoplewhoattackwithoutthreatening.

Howlersarepeoplewhothreatenwithouteverattacking.

tackandasksifthesubjectsbehaviorscompare
similarlytothewaynonattackersbehave.

Rule7. ConductThoroughFact
Finding

assessinghowdesperatethesubjectmayfeelis
readilyavailablefromthecasefiles, thetarget, the
IC&C, courtstaffwhohavedealtwiththesubject, and
thesubjectsfriendsandfamily, aswellasthrough
interviewswiththesubject.

Protectivefactfindingfocusesoncollectingfacts
concerningthecircumstancesoftheIC&Candwhat
promptedit, thesubject, thetargetsrelationtothe
subject, thesubjectspastbehaviors, andthe
subjectscurrentbehaviors.Thepurposeistogather
enoughinformationandevidencetosupportan
accurateandcompletereassessmentofthepotential
risksandthebestwaytodefusethem.Thejudicial

Rule8. ApplyThreat
ManagementStrategies
FlexiblyandIntelligently

settingcontainstwovaluableaspects, eachofwhich

subject.Thespectrumreachesfromdiscreet, passive
defensivemeasuresatoneendtointrusive,

offersadistinctadvantagetothethreatmanager.
First, thetargetandhisorherstaffcanbean
invaluablesourceofinformationaboutthesubject,
thesubjectsissuesandmotive, andthesubjects
demeanorunderstress.Forinstance, becausemost
IC&Cstojudicialofficialsareinitiatedbyacourtcase,
thetargetfrequentlyhassomeknowledgeor
suspicionaboutthesubjectandknowsthedetailsof
thecase.Often, courtemployeeshaveobservedhow
thesubjectbehavedincourt.Inaddition, court
recordsarereadilyavailableintheclerksoffice.
Reviewingtherecordsofthecasemayeducatethe
threatmanagerabouttheissuesandmotivationsthat
may havepromptedpreviousand/orfuture
inappropriateorevendangerousactionsorbehaviors.
Second, thethreatmanagershouldrememberthat,
fromthesubjectspointofview, thecourtsmaybe
threateningtothesubject.TheIC&Cmightbea
defensivereactionpromptedby someactionor
potentialactionbythecourt.Thejudiciaryhasthe
authoritytotake anindividuals freedom, home, and
assets.Itcanorderanindividualtostayawayfrom
formerspousesandlovedones.Itcanpunish
expressionsofcontempt.Peopledrivento
desperationoftenactdesperately.Informationfor

Thestrategiesfordefusingtherisktojudicialofficials
arebestconceptualizedasdifferentoptionsarrayed
alongaspectrum, whereeachoptionfallswithinthe
rangethatisdeterminedbytheoptionseffectonthe

confrontationalactsattheoppositeend.The
strategiesrunthegamutfromdoingnothingthat
directlyaffectsthesubjecttousingtheauthorityof
thelawtorestrainthesuspect.Thefigurebelow
illustratestherangeofthreatmanagementstrategies
availablefordefusingtherisktojudicialofficials.

Figure1:ThreatManagementStrategies

Confrontational

Nonconfrontational
Take No
Further
Action at
This Time

Watch
and
Wait

Passive

Third Party
Control or
Monitoring

Subject
Interview

Civil
Order

Mental
Health
Commitment

Arrest

Active
Gather
Information

Refocus or
Assist

Provide Warning
or Confront

Thethreatmanagershouldconsiderallofthe
strategies, weighingtheeffectivenessofeachgiven
theparticularanduniqueaspectsofthecaseat

hand.Eachonehasspecificadvantagesand
disadvantages, andeachshouldbeusedonlywhen
certainconditionsapply.Thethreatmanagermust
determinewhichoneoffersthebestchancefor
defusingtheriskinthecaseathandatthatparticular
moment.Onceastrategyhasbeenidentifiedand
implemented, thethreatmanagershouldimmediately
recognizethatthesituationhaschangedprecisely
becauseastrategyhasbeenemployed. Thechange
requiresreevaluatingthecase, assessment, and
strategy, whichmayresultinusingotherstrategies.

Rule9. CommunicateWith
ProtecteesinaProfessional,
Confident, andCompetent
Manner
Thethreatmanagershouldtakecare, bywordand
deed, toreassurethetargetandhisorherstaffthat
thethreatmanagerisaprofessionalproblemsolver
andthattheresponsestotheincidentsareunder
control.Inimplementingtheappropriateprotective
responses, thethreatmanagershouldneverincrease
theprotecteesandstaffsfearsbyprojectingthe
wrongattitudeorsharinginformationtheymight
misinterpret.Frequentupdatesandopenlinesof
communicationwiththeprotecteesandtheirstaffwill
helpthethreatmanagerkeepthemcalm, attentiveto
instructions, andwillingtofollowthethreatmanagers
lead.Judges, countedontobeincharge,are
frequentlytemptedtotake charge.Thisshouldbe
avoided.
Thethreatmanagershouldalwaysprovidesome
protectiveresponseeverytimeanIC&Cisreported.
Protectiveresponsesrangefromprovidingasecurity
briefingataminimumtoafullfledgedprotective
detailortargetrelocationatthemaximum.The
selectionoftheappropriateprotectiveresponse

shouldbedirectlyproportionedtotheassessment
andfindingsofanyprotectiveinvestigation.
Alwaysprovidingsomelevelofprotectiveresponse
servestwopurposes.First, itenhancesthe
protecteessecurity.Evenasecuritybriefingreminds
theprotecteetotakesimpleprecautionsandbe
awareofandimmediatelyreportanysuspicious
incidents.Naturally, goingupthescaleofprotective
responsesaddsevenmoresecurity.Providedthat
eachresponseisinproportiontothethreat
assessment, theresultsoftheprotectivefactfinding,
andthesuccessofthethreatmanagement
strategies, thethreatmanagerwillmaintainabalance
betweenneededsecurityandlimitedresources.
Second, alwaysimplementingsomedegreeof
protectiveresponsesendsapositivesignaltothe
protectee.Ithelpsunderscorethethreatmanagers
professionalism, competence, andconcern.That
signalwillhelpallaytheprotecteesfearsandgive
himorherthereassurancethateverythingnecessary
isbeingdone.

Rule10. ManageCases
Appropriately
Threatmanagementcasesareseldomopenandshut.
They beginwhenanIC&C, notnecessarilyacrime,
hasbeendirectedtowardaprotectee.Butunlike
criminalcases, theyhavenoclimacticpointofclosing.
Eventhemostblatantanddirectthreatenercanbe
arrestedandconvictedofthatcrimebutcontinue
threateningor, worse, plotting, fromjail.An
anonymoussubjectmay directanIC&Ctowarda
judicialofficial, thenneverbeheardfromagain.When
caneithercasebeclosed?Neitherarrestand
convictionnortimes coolingeffectsseemenoughto
supportcaseclosure.
Threatmanagementcasesarenotaboutinvestigating
orsolvingcrimes.Theyareaboutmanagingan

individualsbehavior.Threatmanagersdonothavea
caseloadofcrimesassignedtothem.Rather, threat
managersareassignedproblemindividuals.
Consequently, athreatmanagerscaseloadisahybrid
betweenacriminalcaseloadandaparoleor
probationofficerscaseload.

BureauofJusticeAssistance
Information
BJAsmissionistoprovideleadershipandservicesingrant
administrationandcriminaljusticepolicytosupportlocal,
state, andtribaljusticestrategiestoachievesafer
communities.FormoreindepthinformationaboutBJA, its
programs, anditsfundingopportunities, contact:

Hence, itisrecommendedthatthreatmanagersavoid
theterminologythathasbeenhistoricallyusedwhen
openingorclosingathreatmanagementcase.
Instead, itispreferredthatcasesbedesignatedas
oneofthefollowing:

Active.
Inactive.
Chronicorhabitual.
Longterm.
Thesedesignationsarebestsuitedforhandlingthreat
managementcases.
Contemporarythreatmanagementforjudicialofficials
seekstoavertviolencealtogether.Thejudiciarymust
expanditssecurityfromsimplyfortifyingcourthouses
andreactingtoviolentattacks.Itneedstoincorporate
aneffectivethreatmanagementprocessfordefusing
theriskofviolencebeforetheviolenceerupts.An
effectivethreatmanagementprocessdoesnotinfer
theabilitytopredictviolence.Instead, itentails
establishingprocedurestoenablethethreatmanager
to identifypotentialproblemindividuals, assessthe
seriousnessoftherisk, investigatethe
circumstances, andthendevisetheappropriate
strategiesformanagingthesubject.Implementingan
effectivethreatmanagementprocessrequiresthe
judiciarytofollowthe10goldenrules.Doingsowill
furtherenhancethejudiciaryssecurity.

BureauofJusticeAssistance
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Fax:2023051367
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA
Email:AskBJA@usdoj.gov
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18008513420
Fax:3015195212
www.ncjrs.gov
Questions/Comments:www.ncjrs.gov/App/ContactUs.aspx
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OfficeofJusticePrograms
PartnershipsforSaferCommunities
www.ojp.usdoj.gov
ThisdocumentwaspreparedbytheNationalSheriffsAssociation
viafundingfromtheBureauofJusticeAssistance, OfficeofJustice
Programs, U.S.DepartmentofJustice.Theopinions, findings, and
conclusionsorrecommendationsexpressedinthisdocumentare
thoseoftheauthors anddonotnecessarilyrepresenttheofficial
positionorpoliciesoftheU.S.DepartmentofJustice.

AdditionalResourceson
ProtectingJudicialOfficials
ThispublicationwaswrittenbyFrederickS.Calhoun andStephenW.
Weston andbasedontheauthorsbook, DefusingtheRisktoJudicial
Officials:TheContemporaryThreatManagementProcess. Mr.Calhoun
wastheleadresearcherandprincipalarchitectindevelopingthethreat
assessmentprocessusedby theU.S.MarshalsServiceforanalyzing
riskstofederaljudicialofficials.AttherequestoftheNationalSheriffs
Association, Mr.Calhounalsocoordinatedacurriculumandleda
nationwidetrainingprogramoncontemporarythreatmanagementfor
locallawenforcement.
Mr.Westonisa31yearveteranofCalifornialawenforcement.Since
1991, hehasbeenthesupervisorofaspecializedunitresponsiblefor
theinvestigationofthreatsagainstCaliforniastateofficials.Mr.Weston
alsoisonthefacultyofCaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento, inthe
CriminalJusticeDivision.
Forinformationaboutavailablethreatmanagementtraining, visitthe
BureauofJusticeAssistancestrainingandtechnicalassistanceweb
pageatwww.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/tta/index.html.TheNationalSheriffs
Association(www.sheriffs.org)andSpecializedTrainingServices
(www.specializedtraining.com/index.htm)alsoprovideexceptional
trainings, seminars, conferences, andhomestudyprograms.Andthe
nationalchapteroftheAssociationofThreatAssessment
Professionals(www.atapusa.org)holdsannualconventionsin
SouthernCaliforniaeveryAugust, whileitslocalchaptershost1day
seminarsinvariouscitiesthroughouttheyear.Theseorganizations,
aswellasthelibraryofresearch, articles, andbookson
contemporarythreatmanagement, arewhatwillkeepbestpractices
intheforefrontandjudicialofficialssafe.

*NCJ~213930*