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MODULE 6

MODULE 6. A PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THREAT ASSESSMENT. Steps for Proper Assessment And Intervention. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING. UPON COMPLETION OF THIS MODULE, PARTICIPANTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW TO:. Utilize USPS designed screening tools in the assessment of risk

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MODULE 6

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  1. MODULE 6 A PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THREAT ASSESSMENT Steps for Proper Assessment And Intervention

  2. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING UPON COMPLETION OF THIS MODULE, PARTICIPANTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW TO: • Utilize USPS designed screening tools in the assessment of risk • Utilize the USPS priority risk scale • Develop risk abatement plans based on actual cases 6 – 2

  3. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING THIS TRAINING WILL GIVE TEAM MEMBERS BETTER UNDERSTANDING IN THE AREAS OF: • Environmental Issues, Societal Factors, And Contributing Events • Exhibits 2-6a, 2-6b, 2-6c, and 3-1.2 • Learning the Priority Risk Scale • Assigning Priority Risk Ratings (Step 6 of the threat assessment process) • Risk Abatement Plans (Step 7 of the threat assessment process) • Follow-Up Actions (Step 8 of the TAT process) 6 – 3

  4. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING Threat (broadly defined):A statement or act intended to inflict harm or injury on any person, or on his or her property 6 – 4

  5. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING Threat (broadly defined):May also include words or actions intended to intimidate another person or interfere with their performance. 6 – 5

  6. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING TYPES OF THREATS • Credible/Actual Threat • Indirect or Implied Threat • Conditional Threats 6 – 6

  7. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING AREAS OF CONSIDERATION: • Identifying risk factors of threatener • Evaluating contributing factors • Evaluating triggering event(s) (see Pub 108 for listings) 6 – 7

  8. PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING TAT IDENTIFIES BEHAVIORS: • All behavior means something • TAT makes informed interpretations of the behaviors exhibited 6 – 8

  9. THREAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS ASSESSMENT OF RISK 1 Identify Threateners /Risk Factors 2 Determine Risk Priority Rating 3 Develop Risk Abatement Plan 6 – 9

  10. THREAT ASSESSMENT PROCESS ASSESSMENT OF RISK 1 Identify Threateners /Risk Factors 2 Determine Risk Priority Rating 3 Develop Risk Abatement Plan 6 – 10

  11. MODEL OF ASSESSING PERSON • Perceptions • Motivation • Cognitions • Emotions • Behavior 6 – 11

  12. MODEL OF ASSESSING PERSON Violent Prone Persons: • Maintain ambiguity:Avoid information that is contrary to their beliefs; interpret information negatively and aggressively • Consequences:They do not look at consequences for others or themselves; they justify violence • Solutions:Look for violent situations, are restricted in their problem-solving 6 – 12

  13. MODEL OF ASSESSING PERSON Violent Prone Persons: (cont.) • Belief System:Believe violence works and that it works for them • Moral/Value System:Rigid; closed. Usually see or perceive the faults of others but not of themselves. Double standards for how they treat others and own treatment. 6 – 13

  14. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Violence Prone Persons Perception of World: • Life is unfair • World is threatening • Feels like a scapegoat • Displaces blame for life’s problem to others • Feels loss of control over their world 6 – 14

  15. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Dehumanization of Others: • Indifference to other’s feelings and need • People are seen as less than human • Unwillingness to acknowledge another’s view • Incapacity to feel empathy • Blames others 6 – 15

  16. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Familial/Historical Concerns: Past or Present • Abused as child (mental, physical, sexual) • History of family violence • Inability to learn from past • Violent acts stimulate pleasure/excitement • Financial difficulty 6 – 16

  17. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Psychological/Physiological Concerns: • Suicide attempts • Depressive nature • Identifies with others who act out violently • Health issues, mental and physical • Hopelessness and agitation 6 – 17

  18. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Social Adaptability: • Trouble accepting criticism • Holds grudges • Utilizes physical intimidation • Extremist opinions/attitudes • Preoccupation with weapons 6 – 18

  19. VIOLENCE PRONE ELEVATED RISK Occupational Characteristics: • Unstable employment history • Interpersonal work conflicts • Trouble with authority • Grudges towards management • Uncooperative with coworkers • Argumentative • Sexual harassment • Progressive misconduct • Has been terminated or laid off prior • Suspiciousness of job conspiracy 6 – 19

  20. ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR - WORKSITE Toxic Work Environment Organizational: • Poor Labor/Management relations • Ineffective organizational communication • Discipline perceived as unfair • Perception of preferential treatment • Insufficient operational resources • Accident rate is up, safety compromised 6 – 20

  21. Organizational: Authoritarian management style Changing or unpredictable supervision Work and dignity of employees/supervisors are undervalued High degree of secrecy (not sharing information) ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR - WORKSITE 6 – 21

  22. Organizational: More employee demands and less support Disproportionate discipline Strained labor / management relations ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR - WORKSITE 6 – 22

  23. Interpersonal / Individual: Excessive Perfectionism Rigidity and Stubborness Insensitivity Hypersensitive to Criticism Extreme Suspicion and Distrust Manipulative, Aggressive, Deceitful Chronic Complainer Pattern of Violating the Rights of Other People ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR - WORKSITE 6 – 23

  24. “ Any strength taken to extremes becomes a weakness.” Stephen Covey JUST REMEMBER... B A L A N C E E C N A L A B 6 – 24

  25. Level of violence in community Local media coverage Activity of violent groups in community Level of violence on TV, movies, etc. SOCIETAL FACTORS 6 – 25

  26. Perceived or pending job suspension or termination Termination of medication or medication not working Termination of therapy sessions with a psychiatrist or other mental health professional CONTRIBUTING EVENTS 6 – 26

  27. Pending divorce Pending financial or legal problems Loss of a loved one Onset of serious health problem Alcohol or other drug relapse Domestic violence CONTRIBUTING EVENTS 6 – 27

  28. CATEGORIES OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE Domestic Violence is Workplace Violence 6 – 28

  29. VIOLENCE TOWARD WOMEN Recall the 2 introduction slides that overviewed the incidence and cost of domestic violence at work. 6 – 29

  30. VIOLENCE TOWARD WOMEN 6 – 30

  31. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT WORK Latest Review Of Statistics Of Recent Decade: TIME FRAME = 1994 through 2003  There were 164 workplace shootings in America 290 people killed An additional 161 people were injured At least 13.4% of the incidents involved the shooting of an intimate partner (1997 the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 17% were of DV) Handgun Free America, Terror Nine to Five: Guns in the American Workplace (1994 – 2003), 2004. 6 – 31

  32. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT WORK Domestic Violence Is A Safety & Business Issue • Victim’s Condition Can Result  • Absenteeism • Decreased morale & productivity • Tardiness • Lower retention • Increased Costs • Health Care • Unemployment • Workers’ Compensation But what about the condition of the abuser / perpetrator? 6 – 32

  33. Domestic Violence Is A Safety & Business Issue • Research Points Of Abuser Behavior  • 78% used workplace resource to abuse their partner • 73% of supervisors aware of DV arrest • 74% had easy access to partner’s work • 21% contacted partner at work in spite of a restraining order • 70% lost time at work due to DV arrest • 48% had difficulty concentrating at work • 17% reported an accident or near miss due to preoccupation with relationship Ellen Ridley, Family Crisis Services, Maine Department of Labor. Impact of Domestic Offenders on Occupational Health & Safety: A Pilot Study, (2004). 6 – 33

  34. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • as TAT members, important to have an awareness and sensitivity to the issue of domestic violence • Power and Control Wheel is used to: • help victims sort out their abusers’ behaviors • help non-victims understand the issue • shows how the pattern of violence is made up of many different incidents that can sometimes seem like separate or small things • helps to see the behaviors as a system used to control them Adapted from Women’s Refuge Website = http://www.womensrefuge.org.nz/understand02.asp 6 – 34

  35. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE The pronoun her is used throughout the presentation of the ‘Power & Control’ Wheel to note the victim. 95% of all cases reported to police or domestic violence hotlines involve men battering women. This statistic does not mean that women cannot batter men, however it does acknowledge that domestic violence is a women’s issue. Domestic Abuse Intervention Project 202 East Superior St. Duluth, MN 55802 218-722-2781 www.duluth_model.org 6 – 35

  36. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • The Wheel: • driven by the hub, which is a system of power and control used by the abuser • 1 incident of physical/sexual violence, even the threat of it, evokes fear in the victim • fear allows the psychological abuse tactics work • shows that psychological violence can easily ‘slip' over into physical and sexual violence at any time Adapted from Women’s Refuge Website = http://www.womensrefuge.org.nz/understand02.asp 6 – 36

  37. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Intimidation making her afraid by: using looks actions gestures smashing things destroying property abusing pets displaying weapons 6 – 37

  38. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Emotional Abuse putting her down making her feel bad about herself calling her names making her think she's crazy playing mind games humiliating her making her feel guilty 6 – 38

  39. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Isolation controlling what she does who she sees who she talks to what she reads where she goes limiting her outside involvement using jealousy to justify actions 6 – 39

  40. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Minimizing, Denying, and Blaming making light of the abuse not taking her concerns seriously saying the abuse didn't happen shifting responsibility for abusive behavior saying she caused it 6 – 40

  41. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Children making her feel guilty about the children using the children to relay messages using visitation to harass her threatening to take children away 6 – 41

  42. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Male Privilege treating her like a servant making all the big decisions acting like the "master of the castle“ being the one to define gender roles 6 – 42

  43. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Economic Abuse preventing her from getting/keeping job making her ask for money giving her an allowance taking her money not letting her know about or have access to family income 6 – 43

  44. UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Using Coercion & Threats making and/or carrying out threats to her threatening to leave her to commit suicide to report her to welfare making her drop charges making her do illegal things 6 – 44

  45. STALKING IN THE WORKPLACE Stalkers Who Have Harmed Their Victims: • Feel unique - entitlement to person • Inappropriate levels of communication • Research their victim and follow them • Create a diary/record of stalking moves • Show up at victim’s home and/or business and behave inappropriately 6 – 45

  46. STALKING IN THE WORKPLACE Stalkers Who Have Harmed Their Victims: • Merge their identity with other stalkers/attackers • High level of intelligence • Normal physical appearance • Purchase or make homicide weapon • Increased patterns = Increased risk 6 – 46

  47. “Why are we fascinated when a famous person is attacked by a stalker, which happens once every 2-3 years, yet uninterested when a woman is killed by a stalking husband or boyfriend, which happens once every 2 hours?” Gavin De Becker “Gift of Fear” p. 36 STALKING IN THE WORKPLACE 6 – 47

  48. Threat Assessment Considerations: Take threats seriously Interview and get the victim’s cooperation and input Assess risk - Collaborate with other resources Protect individual and workplace Inform people carefully…about what generally occurred and abatement steps RESPONDING TO DV IN THE WORKPLACE 6 – 48

  49. Threat Assessment Considerations: Development of safety options for victim, workplace and perpetrator Consider temporary location and/or schedule change Consult with EAP staff Consider voluntary occupational relocation out of area RESPONDING TO DV IN THE WORKPLACE 6 – 49

  50. RESPONDING TO DV IN THE WORKPLACE What about before the TAT is involved? What kind of prevention measures or responses can management provide in being sensitive to signs of domestic violence? Chart out responses and compare with the recommendations on the next 2 slides. 6 – 50

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