Campus Threat Assessment

Threat Assessment in Virginia

Over the past decade, the Commonwealth of Virginia has led the nation in efforts to implement threat assessment procedures in institutions of higher education and pre-K-12 public schools. In 2008, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring public institutions of higher education to establish threat assessment teams with the goal of preventing violence on campus by assessing behaviors and intervening with individuals who may pose a threat to campus safety. In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation requiring all public school divisions to establish and operate threat assessment teams in support of their schools, making Virginia the first state in the country to require such action. In 2023, the General Assembly added training mandates for members of institutions of higher education's threat assessment teams.

With the requirement of threat assessment mandates, the General Assembly also directed the Virginia Center for School and Campus Safety (VCSCS) to study the application and implementation of threat assessment, develop model policies, procedures, and resources on threat assessment, and provide training to support institutions of higher education and pre-K-12 public schools. To satisfy these requirements, the VCSCS worked hand in hand with research partners, service providers, and subject-matter experts to provide resources for schools, campuses, and law enforcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Virginia Code § 23.1-805(I) mandates 8 hours of initial training and two hours of annual training thereafter for members of campus threat assessment teams. The training is required to be “conducted by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (the Department) or an independent entity approved by the Department.”

As initial training, DCJS will require and will continue to offer the two-day foundational course in threat assessment to members of campus threat assessment teams. This training includes 10 hours of lecture instruction and a practical exercise that gives participants the opportunity to practice the skills learned and fully meets the requirements of Code § 23.1-805(I).

The Department will recognize the following for purposes of the two-hour annual refresher training:

Live in-person or live remote threat assessment training or e-learning modules approved for that purpose and offered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
Live in person or live remote threat assessment training offered through the United States Secret Service, National Threat Assessment Center.
Live in-person or live remote threat assessment training offered through the Department of Homeland Security National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Program, or other live in-person or live remote threat assessment training delivered by a NTER Master Trainer.
Live or live-remote threat assessment training offered by the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP) or a regional chapter of ATAP.

Yes, each year, VCSCS offers several training sessions on threat assessment. The training covers an overview of threat assessment, details on forming and operating a threat assessment team, threat identification, and legal issues, among other topics. Visit the VCSCS Training Page to find trainings near you.

Virginia Code states that each public institution of higher education must establish a threat assessment team that includes representatives from law enforcement, mental health professions, student affairs, human resources, and, if available, higher education counsel. The purpose of the team is to implement assessment, intervention, and action policies, including recognition of threatening behaviors and threat-reporting mechanisms. The teams are also required to establish relationships with local and state law enforcement and mental health agencies to assist in assessment and intervention.

A threat assessment is a fact-based process that emphasizes an appraisal of observed (or reasonably observable) behaviors to identify potentially dangerous or violent situations, investigate/assess them, and manage/address them.

The goal of threat assessment is to determine if the subject is on a pathway to violence. The overall goal of threat assessment is to ensure the safety of all involved.