TRAP-18 (Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol)
Definition
An 18-indicator threat assessment framework developed by Meloy and colleagues, comprising 8 proximal warning behaviours (pathway, fixation, identification, novel aggression, energy burst, leakage, last-resort thinking, direct threat) and 10 distal background characteristics; validated retrospectively across jihadist, far-right, and incel lone-actor cases.
Related terms
- BNS 2023 § 113
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 terrorist act provision (replacing UAPA § 15 as the primary substantive offence for many terrorism prosecutions); does...
- BTAC (Behavioral Threat Assessment Center)
- The FBI unit that provides training, research, and case consultation on targeted violence threat assessment; operational successor to the Behavioral Threat Assessment...
- Channel Programme
- The UK's statutory civil intervention pathway for individuals assessed as vulnerable to radicalisation; operated through multi-agency Channel panels, placed on statutory footing...
- ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Order)
- A US civil-law mechanism (enacted in 21 states as of 2025) allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from persons assessed as an...
- Leakage
- Intentional or unintentional communication of intent to commit violence to a third party. One of TRAP-18's eight proximal warning behaviours and the...
- Pathway-to-Violence Model
- A five-stage sequential model (grievance, ideation, research and planning, probing and preparation, attack) developed by Calhoun and Weston and elaborated by the...
- WAVR-21
- Workplace Assessment of Violence Risk, 21 items; an SPJ-style threat assessment framework developed by White and Meloy for occupationally-motivated targeted violence in...
Explained in
- Threat Assessment for Mass Violence and Active-Shooter IncidentsAn 18-indicator threat assessment framework developed by Meloy and colleagues, comprising 8 proximal warning behaviours (pathway, fixation, identification, nov...