CRJS 493: Risk Assessment and Threat Management is an undergraduate course designed as a primer for students who work or intend to work in fields such as law enforcement, institutional or community corrections, and public or private security. Lawyers, educators, health-care professionals, and conflict resolution specialists may also find CRJS 493 helpful in their work.
CRJS 493 is organized into two parts. The first part includes a general overview of risk assessment, as well as a brief overview of theories of violence. The remainder of part one is devoted to risk assessment issues focused on various offender groups. For example, Units 6 and 7 discuss issues related to the assessment of risk for sexual violence and intimate partner violence, respectively. The first half of the course closes with a unit devoted to risk management and intervention. The second half of the course focuses entirely on the process of threat assessment and management. Although conceptually similar to risk assessment, threat assessment and management includes many distinct features. During this part of the course, students will be exposed to state-of-the-art threat assessment and management procedures, as well as the scientific literature on such topics as stalking and school violence.
Outline
CRJS 493: Risk Assessment and Threat Management is divided into two parts and sixteen weekly units:
PART I
Unit 1: Introduction to Risk Assessment and Management; The Nature and Prevalence of Violence
Unit 2: Theories of Violence
Unit 3: Approaches to Violence Risk Assessment
Unit 4: Substance Abuse, Mental Disorders, and Risk for Violence
Unit 5: Assessment of Risk for General Violence
Unit 6: Assessment of Risk for Sexual Violence
Unit 7: Assessment of Risk for Violence Against Intimate Partners
Unit 8: Risk Management and Intervention
PART II
Unit 9: Introduction to Contemporary Threat Management
Unit 10: The Path to Intended Violence
Unit 11: Identifying Individuals of Violent Intent
Unit 12: Assessing Individuals of Violent Intent
Unit 13: Stalking
Unit 14: School Violence
Unit 15: Workplace and Institutional Violence
Unit 16: Threat Management
Evaluation
Your final grade in Criminal Justice 493: Risk Assessment and Threat Management will be based on the grades you achieve on two written assignments and the final exam. Please note that the passing grade for the final exam is 50%. Also note that the final exam will be based on all course materials, including the commentaries in the Study Guide. To receive credit for CRJS 493, students must a) complete all assignments, b) obtain a grade of 50% or better on the final exam, and c) have an overall course grade of at least D (50 per cent).
Activity
Weight
Complete by
Assignment 1
30%
Due by the end of Week 8 of Suggested Study Schedule.
Assignment 2
30%
Due by the end of Week 14 of Suggested Study Schedule.
Final Exam
40%
Following completion of entire Study Guide and course assignments. During Week 18 of Suggested Study Schedule.
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Webster, C. D., Haque, Q., & Hucker, S. J. (2014). Violence risk assessment and management. (2nd ed.) West Sussex, England: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. (eText)
Meloy J. R. (2000). Violence risk and threat assessment: A practical guide for mental health and criminal justice professionals. San Diego: Specialized Training Services Press. (Print)
Calhoun, F. S., & Weston, S. W. (2003). Contemporary threat management: A practical guide for identifying, assessing and managing individuals of violent intent. San Diego: Specialized Training Services Press. (Print)
Additional journal articles are also assigned as readings in many of the units and are available in the Digital Reading Room (DRR). You will be directed to the appropriate readings throughout the course.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.