Which of the following statements best describes the purpose of threat assessment in the workplace?

• A. To manage budgets and resources for security teams
• B. To ensure compliance with unrelated regulatory requirements
• C. To identify and evaluate potential risks before violence occurs
• D. To schedule routine maintenance of facilities

Answer: (C)

Threat assessment is a proactive, structured process to identify signs of potential violence, assess the level of risk, and implement targeted interventions before an incident occurs. By gathering information about concerning behavior, signals, and context, and then evaluating how likely a threat is to materialize and how severe the impact could be, teams can prioritize responses and put preventive measures in place. This might include increased monitoring, access controls, safety planning, coordinating with human resources and security, and connecting the individual with appropriate support services. The goal is to intervene early to reduce risk and prevent harm.

Budgeting and resource management for security teams, unrelated regulatory compliance, and routine facility maintenance do not describe this proactive risk-identification and risk-evaluation purpose.