Lone‐actor Terrorism and Impulsivity |
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| Authors: | J. Reid Meloy Ph.D. Jeffrey W. Pollard Ph.D. |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA;2. Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA |
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| Abstract: | In some recent cases of lone‐actor terrorism, there is evidence the subject acted impulsively, often in response to a triggering event which contained a loss and humiliation. Evidence suggests the subjects acted precipitously, despite planning and preparation carried out in the preceding weeks or months, and their attacks failed to include the often considerable preparation that had been done. The pathway became a runway. The authors recommend the traditional assessment of impulsivity in persons of concern for lone acts of terrorism, as well as other proximal warning behaviors for targeted violence. Both indirect and direct assessment guidelines are proposed, with an emphasis upon self‐report, psychological testing, collateral data gathering, and historical records. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science terrorism mass killing impulsivity threat assessment violence risk |
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