This document presents answers to frequently asked questions regarding behavioral threats, tips, and leads, in order to help law enforcement agencies, school officials, and tip line operators.
This document is part of the Threats to Life (TTL) Initiative, and aims to help stakeholders gain a better understanding of some frequently asked questions (FAQs). The first FAQs to be answers present official definitions of terms including: treat to life; tips and leads information; targeted violence; personally identifiable information (PII); privacy; civil liberties; fusion centers; and more. It also answers questions regarding behavioral threat assessment management (BTAM), like what it is and what its purpose is; the difference between mental health and mental illness; the circumstances under which mental illness is a risk factor for violence; and what "duty to war” and “duty to protect” are. It also notes some key resources for school resource officers (SROs), providing information on mass attacks and school violence, developed by the U.S. Secret Service- and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other resources described include those developed by the Department of Homeland Security National Threat Evaluation Reporting (NTER), and the joint effort Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety.