Threat Assessment
When someone’s behavior has you worried, get the facts
Serious threats rarely come out of nowhere. There’s usually a pattern first: messages, fixation, escalating behavior, things said to other people. We assess that behavior the way trained threat assessment professionals do, then help you build a practical plan to reduce the risk.
Who it’s for: businesses dealing with a threatening employee, former employee or customer; executives and public figures; churches, schools and nonprofits; families and individuals facing stalking or harassment; and attorneys whose clients are being threatened.
Threat assessment is for situations that are concerning but not an emergency in progress. If someone is threatening you right now, call 911.
What an assessment covers
- Concerning behavior: messages, posts, letters and incidents, organized into a timeline
- The person of concern: public court records, protective orders, prior incidents and public social media
- Warning signs: fixation, statements of intent, research or planning, and attempts to get close
- Your exposure: home, workplace and routines, plus personal information about you that's easy to find online
- Site security: a walk-through of entrances, lighting, cameras and access control
- Management plan: practical steps, communication guidance, documentation for law enforcement or a protective order, and security recommendations
- Follow-through: monitoring and reassessment as the situation changes
Behavior, not profiles
Threat assessment professionals describe a pathway that people who commit targeted violence tend to move along.
Grievance
A sense of being wronged, often fixed on one person or place.
Ideation
Thinking about or talking about violence as a solution.
Research & planning
Looking up the target, their schedule or their location.
Preparation
Acquiring means, making arrangements, final acts.
Probing
Testing security, showing up, getting closer.
Warning signs we look for
Fixation
A persistent, growing focus on one person, workplace or grievance.
Leakage
Telling others, posting or hinting about an intent to harm.
Escalation
Contact that’s increasing in frequency or intensity, or moving from online to in person.
Experience you want on your side
Our investigator spent 20 years in law enforcement, including service as a crisis and hostage negotiator, time on an undercover surveillance unit, and work as an expert witness in high-profile trials. He has sat across from people in crisis and knows how situations escalate and how to slow them down.
- Former crisis and hostage negotiator
- 20 years of law enforcement experience
- Former undercover surveillance unit officer
- Expert witness in multiple high-profile trials
- Licensed Georgia Private Investigator, #PDC003053
How it works
Consultation
Tell us what’s happening.
Assess
We gather the facts and review the behavior.
Plan
You get a written assessment that you can act on.
Follow through
Monitoring, reassessment and coordination with your attorney, HR or law enforcement.
What you receive
A written report with every finding tied to its source.
Turnaround
Urgent cases started within 24 hours; written assessment in 4-10 business days.
Pricing
Quoted in writing before work begins.
Worried about someone's behavior?
Threat assessment is a professional evaluation of concerning behavior and risk. It is not a prediction that violence will or won’t occur, not a guarantee of safety, not a mental health evaluation, and not a substitute for law enforcement. In an emergency, call 911. We do not provide armed or unarmed protection services. Assessments involving current employees may be subject to additional legal requirements; consult your attorney. Southern Charm Investigations is licensed in Georgia (#PDC003053) and is not a law firm.