Promoting a safe USC
The Office of Threat Assessment and Management supports the early identification, assessment, and management of potential threats in order to keep the campuses and community safe.
Creating a secure and distress-free environment where people can thrive and grow is a cornerstone of USC’s mission. The Office of Threat Assessment and Management assists the university in the early identification of potential risks and the development of strategies designed to prevent violence and support healthy, appropriate behavior.
The office was created with a central people-focused vision: Everyone has the right and reasonable expectation to be safe when they come to USC to study, teach, learn, and work.
“Violence prevention is more than solely the deterrence of physical harm. It involves the restoration of health and wellbeing for both the individual of concern and the impacted community.”
Patrick Prince, Assistant Vice President, Threat Assessment and Intervention
A framework for understanding threat assessment
Below are some principles that we use to guide the work we do.
When campus violence occurs, violence prevention must address both the individual and the environment around that person.
Everyone is responsible for their own conduct and need not tolerate unacceptable behavior from others.
When a report is made, it’s important that it’s managed by a qualified, multidisciplinary team of professionals who can assess the risk.
Recognizing that a targeted incident of violence stems from a long pattern of behavior – and is rarely a surprise – is important for prevention and response efforts.
There are intervention opportunities that can help prevent the occurrence of a violent act.
Not all warnings or “red flags” are equal, but all warning signs should be taken seriously and evaluated by a risk assessment process.
Reporting and resources
Report a concern
USC is committed to creating an environment in which our community feels safe, heard, and protected. The USC Report & Response website provides a simple and easy-to-use portal for reporting conduct in violation of university policies or Unifying Values. Reports may be made anonymously.
Warning signs: Interview with USC’s Chief Threat Assessment Officer
Patrick Prince speaks to the challenges of keeping our campus safe – how to identify vulnerabilities, how to get involved early in the process, and how to mitigate the risk over the long run.
USC Cardinal Folder
An emergency response guide for faculty and staff at USC.
USC Gold Folder
A guide for supporting student well-being for faculty and staff at USC.
Related offices
The Office of Threat Assessment and Management is within the umbrella of Professionalism and Ethics, which is led by the Vice President for Professionalism and Ethics Mike Blanton. Together with the following offices, Professionalism and Ethics fosters behavior consistent with professional and university standards.