Preempting mass murder: improving law enforcement risk assessments of persons with mental illness
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Authors
Milby, John D.
Subjects
mental illness
serious mental illness
violence
dangerousness
involuntary civil commitment
law enforcement
mass murder
risk assessment
clinical violence risk assessment
behavioral threat assessment
active shooter
crisis intervention teams
field risk assessment tool
Washington Navy Yard
Isla Vista
DeAnza College
serious mental illness
violence
dangerousness
involuntary civil commitment
law enforcement
mass murder
risk assessment
clinical violence risk assessment
behavioral threat assessment
active shooter
crisis intervention teams
field risk assessment tool
Washington Navy Yard
Isla Vista
DeAnza College
Advisors
Kiernan, Kathleen
Miller, Patrick
Date of Issue
2015-03
Date
March 2015
Publisher
Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Across the United States, mass murder events have been on the rise for nearly a decade. This thesis found that persons with serious mental illness perpetrated a statistically significant number of these events. Currently, law enforcement agencies are often the first—and in many communities the only resource—available to assist and assess mentally ill persons in crisis. This thesis investigated the current state of law enforcement training as it relates to assessing dangerousness and the risk for violence among persons with serious mental illness. It found that there is very little training and no risk assessment tool or guide currently available to assist law enforcement officers tasked with assessing mentally ill persons for dangerousness. Subsequently, this thesis examined alternative methods and models for assessing risk, including clinical violence risk assessments, and it conducted summary case studies. These included cases in which mentally ill persons committed acts of mass murder and cases where law enforcement successfully intervened and prevented mentally ill persons from carrying out planned violence. As a result of this research and analysis, a field risk assessment guide has been developed and recommended for adoption to aid law enforcement officers in assessing the dangerousness of mentally ill persons.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs
National Security Affairs
Organization
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NPS Report Number
Sponsors
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Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
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Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner.