Service Line · 03 / 07 · Case · Retainer
Behavioral Threat Assessment
When someone is a concern, you need more than a policy. We use the WAVR-21 framework — the instrument most trusted by the protective intelligence community — and escalate to licensed investigative capability when a subject's behavior warrants it.
— The difference
Most HR professionals are not trained to assess whether a threat is real or how serious it is. We are. The WAVR-21 methodology we use is the same one trusted by the Secret Service, FBI, and university threat assessment teams — backed by 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 WAVR-21 — Workplace Assessment of Violence Risk — is a 21-item structured professional judgment instrument developed specifically for workplace and campus threat assessment. It is the authoritative tool in the field, used by corporate security teams, university threat assessment offices, and government protective intelligence programs. Our assessments are conducted using the WAVR-21 and documented in a format that stands up in administrative, regulatory, and legal contexts.
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
WAVR-21 Assessment
The formal assessment applies the WAVR-21 framework to all gathered information, evaluating 21 behavioral and contextual risk factors across static and dynamic domains. The result is a structured professional judgment assessment — not an opinion, but a documented, evidence-based evaluation of risk level with specific behavioral drivers identified.
- 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.
Behavioral Threat Assessment (per case)
Complexity and urgency dependent; most cases fall in the $3,500–$5,500 range
$2,500 – $7,500
Threat Assessment Team Design & Training
Two to three day on-site engagement; includes WAVR-21 training for team members
$6,500 – $14,000
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 is the WAVR-21 and why does it matter?
The WAVR-21 is a structured professional judgment instrument for assessing workplace and campus targeted violence risk. It was developed by Drs. Stephen White and Reid Meloy — two of the most respected authorities in the threat assessment field — and is used by corporate security professionals, FBI threat assessment professionals, and university behavioral intervention teams worldwide. Using a validated, documented methodology 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.
— Engage
Let's talk about scope.
Pricing and timeline vary with the size of your organization, the maturity of the existing program, and the outcome you're engineering toward. A thirty-minute consultation is usually the fastest way to a written proposal.