COURT SECURITY CONCERNS
Malcolm Franklin
Lawrence Lujan
Steven K. Swensen
Senior Manager, Office of
Security, Judicial Council
of California - AOC
Honorable Chief Judge,
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
Tribal Court
Director, Center for
Judicial and Executive
Security (CJES)
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
CENTER FOR JUDICIAL
and EXECUTIVE
SECURITY (CJES)
JCVI/C-TAV EXTENSIVE
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
228 DOCUMENTED
STUDY INCIDENTS
Steven K. Swensen, Director CJES, LLC
www.CJESconsultants.com
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USSS ECSP

1949-1996 / 83 Subjects

Discounted 3-previously held
Assassination Beliefs or Myths:
(1) Profiles - (2) Mental Illness – (3) Threats

3-Key Assassination Observations
(1) Thought/Behavior Processes; (2) Means to
an End; and (3) Motive/Target

Path to Assassination

Inappropriate Communications
USMS HUNTERS &
HOWLERS



1980-1993 / 3,096 Cases
3-Principle Attributes
Protective Intelligence,
Investigations, & Response
HOMICIDE STUDIES:
Courthouse Shootings



1907-2007 / 114 Incidents
Motive / Weapons / Casualties
Further Studies and
Security-based Assessments
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Incidents by Decade
100
90
80
70
60
50
Incidents by Decade
40
30
20
10
0
1970's
1980's
1990's
2000's
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 Fourteen (14) Incidents
 One (1) Federal Courts Incident
 Thirteen (13) State/Local Courts Incidents
 Eleven (11) Shootings
 Three (3) Arson-Attacks
 Zero (0) Bombings
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 Thirteen (13) Incidents
 All State/Local Courts
 Nine (9) Shootings
 Four (4) Arson-Attacks
 Zero (0) Bombings
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Threat Source Type
Other
Case-Litigant
Accomplice
Domestic Terrorist
Prisoners
Threat Source
Criminal Assailants
On-Bond Defendant
Dangerous Individuals
Unknown
Domestic Assailant
0
10
20
30
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40
50
Threat Source Motive
80
70
60
50
40
Threat Source Motive
30
20
10
0
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Case-Related Motive
Evidence Destruction
Other
Restraining Orders
Child Support
Child Abuse
Case-Related Motives
Convictions/Sentencings
Arrest/Charges
Child Custody
Court Rulings
Divorce/Alimony
0
10
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20
THREAT SOURCE TARGET/VICTIMS
Divorce Attorney
Defense Attorney
Threat Source
Judicial/Court Staff
Prosecutor
THREAT SOURCE
TARGET/VICTIMS
Other
General Public
Domestic Partner
Courthouse
Judge
Law Enforcement
0
20
40
60
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80
OFFICIALS/PERSONS INJURED
Street Gang
Divorce Attorney
Defendant
Attorney
OFFICIALS/PERSONS
INJURED
Judge
Staff/Employees
Threat Source
General Public
Law Enforcement
0
20
40
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60
OFFICIALS/PERSONS KILLED
Judges Family
Prosecutor
Other
Family Member
OFFICIALS/PERSONS
KILLED
General Public
Police/Sheriff
Spouse
Judge
Threat Source
0
20
40
60
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80
USMS PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS
Inappropriate Communications / Threats
1800
1600
1400
1200
USMS PROTECTIVE
(IC/THREAT)
INTELLIGENCE
INVESTIGATIONS
1000
800
600
400
200
0
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268+ Incident s of Disorder in the Court
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COURT SECURITY is not only JUDICIAL
SECURITY - it is also an issue of:



OFFICER SAFETY
EMPLOYEE & PUBLIC SAFETY
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE
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 There is an Inherent Threat/Risk to the
Courts/Judiciary.
 The Number of Violent Incidents are Increasing.
 Incident Displacement Effect (IDE)
 There are No Significant Findings to Site
Venue/Size.
 CA (31), NY (19), and TX (16) have had the most
C-TAV Incidents.
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 FL (9), IL (8), VA (7) AL (6), GA (6), and MN (6)
follow with the next most incidents.
 < 50% of the time – The Threat Source Motive is
Case-Related.
 C-TAV Incidents can be Spontaneous,
Impulsive, and Opportunity-Driven.
 Mental Health can play a role.
 Security & Mail Screening Programs are
Effective.
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Conditional Elements Required for a Threat
Source to Carry out an Attack/Assault:
 Identify a Target (i.e. protectee).
 Identify a Place of Venue (i.e. attack/assault).
 Circumvent or Bypass Security Measures.
 Opportunity-Imposed (i.e. lack of security or
a recognized vulnerability that can be
exploited).
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1. A Multi-Discipline Approach Process to
Court Security.
2. Security, Threat, Risk, and Emergency
Management Programs.
3. Independent Security Assessments.
4. Security/Mail Screening.
5. Prisoner Security is Court Security
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6. SME and Courthouse Design,
Construction, and Renovation.
7. Judicial Security Director or “Marshal”
Positions.
8. Protective Intelligence and Investigation
Programs.
9. Quality Point Index (QPI) Rating Factors.
10.Evaluators / Assessment Methodologies.
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11.Threat/Risk and Appropriate Levels of
Court/Judicial Security.
12.Mental Health Awareness and Threat
Source De-Escalation.
13.Incident Case Notification, Tracking, and
Documentation.
14.Institutional Contacts/Monitoring.
15.Continuing Education and Training
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