Violence is a pervasive risk in our world, the quintessential human risk. It appears in many contexts: terrorism, workplace violence, random acts of public mayhem. These ultimate, anti-social acts may be the result of organized anarchy aimed at destabilizing our communities through the destruction of trust and the bonds of civility.

But often, even in cases of terrorism, violence is perpetrated by a single individual who has become unmoored from prevailing social control. The internal processes that lead any person to commit these acts are impossible to observe fully, and they undoubtedly vary from one individual to the next. Yet managers and public safety officers of all types are still responsible to identify and eliminate risks of violence before they occur.

… Continue reading