Clinical profile, risk and critical factors and the application of the “path towards intended violence” model in the case of mass shooter Dylann Roof

A threat assessment perspective, namely the Path towards Intended Violence, was applied in the case of the mass shooting perpetrated by Dylann Roof on June 17, 2015 at an Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. This perspective is important since it attempts to build on accounts regarding how he progressed towards his mass shooting, beyond the information presented in the forensic evaluations already available. The Path towards Intended Violence was found to be a critical and proximal factor for the mass shooting. This suggested finding is also consistent for other individuals, who were diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as neurotypical individuals, who have engaged in a mass shooting. The Path towards Intended Violence is also discussed as a potential way forward towards trying to identify individuals who may be more vulnerable and at-risk, so that appropriate interventions and supports can be put in place in order that such extreme violence can be prevented

Rare instances of individuals with autism supporting or engaging in terrorism

Purpose: The prevalence of individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder being associated with terroristic threats, lone wolf terrorism or affiliating with terroristic groups is rare. Design/methodology/approach: However, several cases are presented, where individuals with autism are involved in making a naïve, empty terroristic threat, or uttering serious serial terroristic threats. Other cases are also presented of individuals being at risk for an abduction or being used by a terrorist group, and finally committing an act of domestic lone wolf terrorism. Findings: Essential to the analysis was establishing a functional connection between autism-based deficits and the terroristic threats, terrorism, and when to not criminalize naïve, empty terroristic threats or acts. Originality/value: Currently, tools available to law enforcement and prosecutors exploit the vulnerabilities and liabilities which arise as a result of group interactions, a “preventive” approach to terrorism that is not applicable to the solitary, “lone wolf” terrorist (Barnes, 2012; Zierhoffer, 2014).There has been relatively little research (including case studies) examining individuals with ASD who engage in terrorism. For instance, when dealing with an individual with ASD who is charged with terrorism, it is crucial to consider how the diagnosis of autism may have presented as a contextual vulnerability, and to make sure that justice, rehabilitation and management, are informed by an understanding of the person’s diagnosis of ASD (Al-Attar, 2016)

Mass violence in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder : a case analysis of Anders Breivik using the “Path to Intended and Terroristic Violence” model

Objective There exist significant gaps in our understanding and knowledge of the contributory factors which give rise to the development of a mass shooter. Method A case analysis is presented of Anders Behring Breivik who engaged in a bombing and shooting spree in Norway on July 22, 2011. Results The case analysis presents that he has diagnoses of Asperger's Syndrome, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, and Antisocial Personality Traits/Disorder. Additionally, a forensic profile is presented that a narcissistic decompensation contributed to him developing a depression, followed by rewrite his life story where he is a hero defending Europe against a conspiracy. However his personal and political grievances and violent ideation placed him onto the Path to Intended/Terroristic Violence, which culminated in the attacks in Norway. Conclusions The present study suggests that there may be an association between NPD and violence, similar to other studies. However, the factor of narcissistic decompensation (possibly co-occurring with an Asperger's coping strategy) was presented as a critical component of NPD that mediated its relationship with violence

The importance of considering trauma in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder : considerations and clinical recommendations

Purpose The area of trauma in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is an important area given the substantial rates of abuse endured by these individuals. However, there are issues with the identification of trauma, understanding how it is perceived, and manifested. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The limited research regarding trauma in ASD is reviewed and gaps are identified. Findings The key findings from the relevant literature are discussed. Practical implications Practical suggestions are outlined for more effective identification of trauma in individuals with ASD. Originality/value To date, there has been relatively little research on trauma and ASD. This paper emphasises the urgent need for attention in this area

TRANSIENT MODELLING OF A NATURAL CIRCULATION LOOP UNDER VARIABLE PRESSURE

The objective of the present work is to model the transient operation of a natural circulation loop, which is one-tenth scale in height to a typical Passive Residual Heat Removal system (PRHR) of an Advanced Pressurized Water Nuclear Reactor and was designed to meet the single and two-phase ow similarity criteria to it. The loop consists of a core barrel with electrically heated rods, upper and lower plena inter- connected by hot and cold pipe legs to a seven-tube shell heat exchanger of countercurrent design, and an expansion tank with a descending tube. A long transient characterized the loop operation, during which a phenomenon of self-pressurization, without self-regulation of the pressure, was experimentally observed. This represented a unique situation, named natural circulation under variable pressure (NCVP). The self-pressurization was originated in the air trapped in the expansion tank and compressed by the loop water dilatation, as it heated up during each experiment. The mathematical model, initially oriented to the single-phase ow, included the heat capacity of the structure and employed a cubic polynomial approximation for the density, in the buoyancy term calculation. The heater was modelled taking into account the di erent heat capacities of the heating elements and the heater walls. The heat exchanger was modelled considering the coolant heating, during the heat exchanging process. The self-pressurization was modelled as an isentropic compression of a perfect gas. The whole model was computationally im-plemented via a set of nite di erence equations. The corresponding computational algorithm of solution was of the explicit, marching type, as for the time discretization, in an upwind scheme, regarding the space discretization. The computational program was implemented in MATLAB. Several experiments were carried out in the natural circulation loop, having the coolant ow rate and the heating power as control parameters. The variables used in the comparison between experimental and calculated data were some relevant loop temperatures and pressures. The results obtained from the computational model agree qualitatively well with the experimental NCVP data

Geo-hydrological risk mitigation in a terraced landscape: LiDAR data analysis in the Portofino natural Park, Italy

Modification of steep slopes with man-made terraces is an ancient and widespread habit in many areas of the world. If the modification assures agricultural practices in mountainous areas, it results even as an important interference with the geomorphic processes: important quantities of soil and sediments are subtracted to the degradation processes and, in case of total abandonment of terraces, they result again available to erosion. Intense rain event may cause partial instability or even collapse of the anthropogenic structures, configuring terraces as an additional source of Geo-hydrological hazard. Recent events in Liguria - northern Italy, in Cinque Terre 2011 and Leivi (Chiavari) 2014, caused damages and even casualties due to the sudden collapse of terraced slopes. A crucial point in assessing the potential hazard caused by abandoned terraced slopes is identifying their real extension. LiDAR data analysis is an important assessment tool particularly in strong steepness areas due to the capability of recognizing linear regular structures. In the present research LiDAR data analysis has been used to identify terraces in the Portofino Natural Park area (Liguria region, Italy) as one of the preliminary activities of the RECONECT European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme project. The project plans to realize nature based solutions to mitigate geohydrological risk in two pilot areas in the Portofino promontory and the recovery of terraces is one of the foreseen actions. Mapping terraces is the first step to evaluate the potential risk associated to the possible instability processes and the interventions to be realized. Land use evolution in the area from 1800 to present have been indeed found through historical maps examination and used in conjunction with LiDAR analysis results

A spatial multicriteria prioritizing approach for geo-hydrological risk mitigation planning in small and densely urbanized Mediterranean basins

Landslides and floods, particularly flash floods, occurred recently in many Mediterranean catchments as a consequence of heavy rainfall events, causing damage and sometimes casualties. The high hazard is often associated with high vulnerability deriving from intense urbanization, in particular along the coastline where streams are habitually culverted. The necessary risk mitigation strategies should be applied at the catchment scale with a holistic approach, avoiding spot interventions. In the present work, a high-risk area, hit in the past by several floods and concurrent superficial landslides due to extremely localized and intense rain events, has been studied. A total of 21 small catchments have been identified: only some of them have been hit by extremely damaging past events, but all lie in the intense-rain high-hazard area and are strongly urbanized in the lower coastal zone. The question is what would happen if an intense rain event should strike one of the not previously hit catchments; some situations could be worse or not, so attention has been focused on the comparison among catchments. The aim of the research has been identifying a priority scale among catchments, pointing out the more critical ones and giving a quantitative comparison tool for decision makers to support strong scheduling of long-time planning interventions at the catchment scale. The past events' effects and the geomorphic process analysis together with the field survey allowed us to select three sets of parameters: one describing the morphometric–morphological features related to flood and landslide hazard, another describing the degree of urbanization and of anthropogenic modifications at the catchment scale and the last related to the elements that are exposed to risk. The realized geodatabase allowed us to apply the spatial multicriteria analysis technique (S-MCA) to the descriptive parameters and to obtain a priority scale among the analyzed catchments. The scale can be used to plan risk mitigation interventions starting from the more critical catchments, then focusing economic resources primarily on them and obtaining an effective prevention strategy. The methodology could be useful even to check how the priority scale is modified during the progress of the mitigation work realization. In addition, this approach could be applied in a similar context, even among sub-catchments, after identifying a suitable set of descriptive parameters depending on the active geomorphological processes and the kind of anthropogenic modification. The prioritization would allow to invest economic resources in risk mitigation interventions priory in the more critical catchments.</p

Sarna sarcóptica dos suínos: estratégia de ação no controle e avaliação econômica.

bitstream/item/58756/1/CUsersPiazzonDocuments172.pd