A Review: Court-Targeted Acts of Violence

C-TAV illuminates 185 courthouse incidents of bombings, arson attacks, courthouse and judicial shootings that occurred in the United States from 1970 to 2009. In addition, Steve Swensen provides the reader with five in-depth case studies and their resolutions. Peppered throughout the paper are graphs, charts and analysis dissecting the 185 incidents, such as the 1970 killing of Judge Haley in California and the killing of US District Judge Daronco in New York by a retired police officer.  If that was not enough, C-TAV also references several additional studies that are excellent sources of information for the courthouse security practitioner such as, Courthouse Shootings 1907-2007 by Dr. Gregg W. Etter and Warren G. Swymelar –, Homicide Studies February 2010 vol. 14 no. 1 pages 90-100 and Typology of Stalking: Reliability and Validity Based upon a Large Sample of North American Stalkers by Dr. Mohandie, Meloy, McGowan in January 2006 RECON. It is also important to note that the paper provides a well-accepted standard of practice in describing the characteristics of Inappropriate Communications, in the judicial threat dynamic.

What is unique about C-TAV however is Swensen’s CJES 15 Principles of Criticality. He states that the 15 principles help ensure a program of quality assurance – which is true and are quite cost-effective. His first principle: “A Multi-Discipline Approach Process (MDAP) is required for a comprehensive Court Security Program” dovetails wonderfully with his concentric process of court security diagram. The diagram begins with an outer circle labeled “Policies & Procedures” and then moves into smaller concept circles of “Security Audits/Surveys”, “Security Screening”, “Emergency Response Plans”, etc…until the very center with “Judicial Protectee”.  Other principles of the 15 such as No. 4 “Security Screening and Mail Screening are vital components of a Courthouse Security Program” and No. 15 “Continuing education, professional associations/networking, and specialized training requirements specific to Court Security should be established, promoted, and required on an on-going-basis” are really the pillars upon which a national standard could be fashioned for the emerging professionalization field of court security.

C-TAV provides court security practitioners with an opportunity to learn from the past and provide better security for their courthouses by finding new ways to mitigate future courthouse attacks.

His document can be purchased on his website only - @ http://www.cjesconsultants.com/executive-security-publications.html

Discloser – I did receive a free advance copy of C-TAV and made some very minor suggestions to the author before its official release.