Mourning Fox, MA, LCMHC, deputy commissioner for the Vermont Department of Mental Health, explores the issues around why people resort to violence and the risk factors individuals have that may make them more, or less, likely to use violence. Fox discusses the three major predictors of violence and their impact on how you deal with emotionally charged situations both before they happen and as they take place. He explains the importance of building a common language to describe potentially problematic or actually problematic behaviors seen in people who are in emotionally charged states in order to improve effective communication between responders and support service providers. Our values drive the decisions we make every day. The role of these values, for both the responder and the identified subject, and their impact on relationship building and resolutions to conflict is explored.

2. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
M. Fox 2017
Violence Prevention
and De-Escalation
Mourning Fox, MA, LCMHC
2

3. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Why are people violent?
“Violence is the
language of the
unheard.”
Violence Talks:
• To protect myself
• Gives me a voice
• Helps me control and
dominate others
• Relieves my tension
• Makes me feel better
MartinLutherKing,Jr.
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M. Fox 2017

4. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Risk Factors for Violence
• Age: 17 – 25
• Sex: Male
• Substance Abuse: Alcohol and Stimulants
• Socioeconomic: lower income
• Intelligence: <90
• Education: Drop-out, ADD/ADHD
• Employment: Poor work history
• Arrest History: Violent crime, Juvenile record
• Fire setting, cruelty to animals
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M. Fox 2017

5. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Predictors of Violence
1. Past history of violence
Ø Types, frequency
2. Significant change in behavior
3. Increase in Gross Motor Activity (i.e.
large muscle groups)
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M. Fox 2017

6. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
STRESS
Stress: Difficulty that causes worry
or emotional tension
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7. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
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M. Fox 2017

8. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
“ I’m
Distressed”
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M. Fox 2017

9. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
“ I’m
Distressed”
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M. Fox 2017

10. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
“ I’m
Distressed”
“Pay
Attention”
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M. Fox 2017

11. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
Destructive
Dangerous
“ I’m
Distressed”
“Pay
Attention”
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M. Fox 2017

12. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
Destructive
Dangerous
“ I’m
Distressed”
“Pay
Attention”
“I’m Losing
Control”
“I’ve Lost
Control”
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M. Fox 2017

13. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
Destructive
Dangerous
Threat
of
Lethal
“ I’m
Distressed”
“Pay
Attention”
“I’m
Losing
Control”
“I’ve Lost
Control”
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M. Fox 2017

14. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Agitated
Disruptive
Destructive
Dangerous
Threat of
Lethal
“ I’m
Distressed”
“Pay
Attention”
“I’m
Losing
Control”
“I’ve Lost
Control”
“Stop
Me”
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M. Fox 2017

15. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Our Common Language
Ø Improves communication among staff by
providing staff with a common language
to describe behaviors
Ø Does NOT likely progress in a linear
fashion from agitated to dangerous
Ø Listening and Talking are used at every
level on the Behavior Scale
Ø Aids in determining appropriate
interventions
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M. Fox 2017

16. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Be Aware of Values
• Values are what people think is important.
• Try to clarify what the person’s values are.
• Values influence behaviors!
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17. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
SLOW DOWN!!!
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18. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Effective
Communication:
Making people feel
safe, feel heard
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19. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
What’s the first step?
LISTEN then TALK!
The most important verbal communication is
“Listening”
to what they’re communicating
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M. Fox 2017

20. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Use Active Listening Skills
Emotional Labeling
• The intent of emotional labeling is to
respond to the emotion heard in the
person’s VOICE rather than the content
• For example use phrases like: “You seem”
or “You sound..”, “You look to me…” or “I
hear that you are …”
• Use the same terminology as the subject
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21. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Emotional Labeling Cont’d
• Avoid telling a person how they feel and
focus on how they seem or sound
• Don’t worry if you label the emotion
incorrectly, it’s your own perception
• Be aware of YOUR own emotions and
what emotions you are conveying
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22. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Active Listening Cont’d
Paraphrasing
• A summary in your words as to what they
have told you
• Creates empathy, it shows you’re listening
and you understand
• For example: “Are you telling me…?” or
“Are you saying…?”
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23. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Active Listening Skills Cont’d
Reflecting/Mirroring
• Simply repeat the last word or phrase the
person said and say it in the form of a
question
• Provides the person with exact feedback
that you are listening
• Guides the person to further explain
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24. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Active Listening Skills Cont’d
Use “I feel” messages
• Shows the person how you feel and why you feel
that way and how they can change to remedy the
situation
• You want the behavior to change not them
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25. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Active Listening Skills Cont’d
• Use the formula: “I feel (emotion) when
you (behavior) because (your reason) and I
would like you to (behavior).”
• For example: “I feel (frustrated) when you
(yell) because (its hard for me to talk with
you) and I would like you to talk with me
so we can resolve this.”
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26. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Active Listening Skills Cont’d
Use open-ended questions
• These questions cannot be answered with
a yes or no response
• Usually begins with words like “How”
“When” “What” or “Where” (avoid “Why”)
• It helps to get the person talking
• It focuses the discussion on the person’s
feelings
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27. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
Communication
Creating an Alliance
• People do not assault their allies
• People do not get assaultive if they feel
they are being treated respectfully
• “I hear that you’re frustrated. What can
we do to make you more comfortable?”
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28. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
De-Fusing Techniques
• Validate the feeling
“ I understand how this is frustrating to you” *****(careful!)
• Match the intensity of volume
Use similar tone to match and bring it down…
think crowded restaurant
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29. The National Center for Campus Public Safety
De-Fusing Techniques
• De-Railments
– Fake Misunderstanding
– Purposeful Misinterpretation
– Soft Shock
• Reflective Statements
“Mr. X, I noticed you are pacing more than
usual today?”
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M. Fox 2017

30. www.margolishealy.com
www.nccpsafety.org
info@nccpsafety.org
1.866.817.5817
www.bja.gov