— Read first
Managing the employee of concern
The step-by-step a threat assessment team actually runs when an employee surfaces as concerning — written by practitioners who have run the cases.
Article · ungated · 12-min read
Service Line · 03 / 07 · Case · Retainer
Behavioral Threat Assessment (Violence Risk)
When someone is a concern, you need more than a policy. We conduct assessments using the KTI-W — Kestralis Threat Indicators (Workplace), our proprietary structured professional judgment instrument — and escalate to licensed investigative capability when a subject's behavior demands it.
— The difference
Most HR professionals are not trained to assess whether a threat is real or how serious it is. We are. The KTI-W is original Kestralis work, grounded in the same public-domain behavioral science the rest of the field draws on — backed by an investigative capability that most consultants cannot offer.
— Overview
Targeted workplace violence does not happen without warning. In nearly every documented case of workplace homicide, there was a pathway — a series of communications, behaviors, and escalating grievances that, if recognized and properly assessed, could have enabled intervention before the violence occurred. The challenge is that most organizations lack the training to recognize the pathway and the methodology to assess what it means.
The KTI-W — Kestralis Threat Indicators (Workplace) — is our proprietary structured professional judgment framework for workplace targeted violence risk assessment. Eight domains, twenty-six factors, four operational risk levels. It is original Kestralis work, grounded in the published behavioral science: the pathway-to-violence model, the warning-behavior typology, the FBI's leakage and workplace violence research, the Safe School Initiative findings, and the SPJ methodological literature. Where another recognized instrument is the better fit for a particular case, we use it.
What separates Kestralis Group's threat assessment capability from a standard HR investigation is the investigative infrastructure behind it. When a subject's behavior warrants it — when a formal assessment needs to be informed by background research, public records, or behavioral monitoring — our licensed private detective agency capability provides a legal and methodologically sound way to gather that information. Most consulting firms cannot offer this combination.
— How we work
The engagement from first call to final deliverable.
Four phases · scoped individually to the client
- Phase 01
Case Intake
We receive the case through a structured intake process designed to capture the behavioral history, triggering events, subject-target relationship, and any existing organizational response. Intake is designed to be completed within 24 hours of initial contact for urgent situations.
- Phase 02
Information Gathering
We review all available behavioral information — HR records, communications, witness accounts, prior incidents — and, where the case warrants it, conduct PI-backed background research and public records review. Information gathering is conducted with legal defensibility in mind throughout.
- Phase 03
Structured Assessment
The formal assessment applies the KTI-W — Kestralis's proprietary SPJ instrument — to all gathered information, evaluating behavioral and contextual risk factors across eight domains and twenty-six factors, both static and dynamic. The result is a documented, evidence-based evaluation of risk level with specific behavioral drivers identified — not an opinion, but a defensible structured professional judgment, supported by the practitioner's exposed reasoning.
- Phase 04
Management Plan & Handoff
We deliver a written assessment with a management plan — specific recommended actions, monitoring protocols, and decision triggers for escalation. We brief the responsible parties directly and remain available for ongoing consultation as the case evolves.
— Investment
Transparent pricing. Scope drives the number.
Ranges shown reflect single-location mid-market engagements. Multi-site, complex, or urgent engagements are scoped individually. A thirty-minute consultation is the fastest path to a written proposal.
— 01
Behavioral Threat Assessment (per case)
Complexity and urgency dependent; most cases fall in the $3,500–$5,500 range
$2,500 – $7,500
— 02
Threat Assessment Team Design & Training
Two to three day on-site engagement; includes structured professional judgment practitioner training for team members
$6,500 – $14,000
— 03
Threat Management Retainer
Active threat monitoring, case consultation, PI-backed investigation as needed
$2,500 – $5,000 / month
— Common questions
What clients ask before they engage.
What methodology do you use for threat assessments?
We use the KTI-W — Kestralis Threat Indicators (Workplace), our proprietary structured professional judgment instrument for workplace targeted violence risk assessment. The KTI-W is original Kestralis work, grounded in the same public-domain behavioral science the rest of the field draws on: the pathway-to-violence model (Calhoun & Weston, Fein & Vossekuil, U.S. Secret Service NTAC), the warning-behavior typology (Meloy and colleagues), the FBI's leakage and workplace violence research, the Safe School Initiative, and the SPJ methodological literature (Hart & Logan, Douglas & Kropp). Where another recognized SPJ instrument is the better fit for a specific case, we use it. Using a documented, methodologically grounded SPJ instrument matters because it produces findings that are defensible and because it catches things that an unstructured evaluation would miss.
What is the difference between a threat assessment and an HR investigation?
An HR investigation establishes facts about what happened and whether policy was violated. A threat assessment evaluates whether a person poses a risk of targeted violence and how that risk should be managed. The two are often complementary but they require different training and methodology. We conduct threat assessments; we can also assist with workplace investigations as a separate engagement.
When should we call you versus handling it internally?
Call us when the situation involves a specific threat, when the behavior is escalating, when a termination is in view and the individual is known to be volatile, or when your internal team lacks the training to assess the situation confidently. The cost of a false negative — underestimating a threat — is catastrophic. The cost of calling us unnecessarily is a few thousand dollars and peace of mind.
Are your assessments protected by attorney-client privilege?
Not automatically. However, we regularly work at the direction of outside counsel, in which case the work product protections of that relationship apply. If privilege protection is a priority for a specific engagement, we recommend initiating the engagement through your legal counsel from the outset.
— Related capability
Often engaged alongside behavioral threat assessment (violence risk).
— Trademarks & disclosures
- KTI-W™ and Kestralis Threat Indicators – Workplace™ are trademarks of Kestralis Group LLC. The KTI-W is original Kestralis work; the underlying scientific concepts — the pathway to violence, warning behaviors, fixation, leakage, structured professional judgment — are drawn from the published behavioral science and government research literature.
— Engage
Three ways to start.
Pick the path that matches where you are. Most prospects work the first option, then move to a call. Some skip directly to scope.
— Talk it through
30-minute consultation
Direct line to a principal. Bring your situation; leave with a written read on what the engagement could look like and whether we’re the right firm for it.
Free · 30 minutes
— Move
Request a written proposal
Already know the scope you need? Send the situation in writing and we'll respond with a written proposal, timeline, and investment range — usually within one business day.
Scope · timeline · investment