As the senior psychologist for the State Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Threat Assessment unit, Dr. Nicole Jones conducts threat assessments, analyzes behavioral indicators, and consults on cases involving individuals of concern. She collaborates with law enforcement and external partners to develop management and mitigation strategies. Additionally, she provides training on threat assessment, contributes to research, and supports investigations by offering psychological insights and interview assistance. Her daily responsibilities are already important in keeping North Carolina’s residents safe.
What sets Dr. Jones apart from others in her field is her groundbreaking support for law enforcement officers when assessing threats. Dr. Jones developed the first-of-its-kind structured professional judgement (SPJ) tool explicitly designed for law enforcement. While SPJ tools exist in other fields, Dr. Jones’s creation is the first tool tailored to the unique needs of law enforcement.
Before the tool, threat assessment methods relied on subjective judgment rather than a standardized, evidence-based framework. Dr. Jones’s work gives officers and investigators a structured tool to identify risk factors and warning behaviors associated with individuals prone to targeted violence. This analytic framework enables law enforcement to gather and analyze information systematically, improving their ability to assess threats and implement management and mitigation strategies to keep North Carolinians safer.
The impact of Dr. Jones’s work goes beyond our great state. Training on the SPJ tool has been provided to numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the country, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Behavioral Analysis Unit and the U.S. Department of State. Additionally, Nicole has consulted with the U.S. Department of Defense on implementing this tool across all branches of the military for use in their threat assessment groups.
Dr. Nicole Jones’s work represents a tremendous step forward in public safety, not just for those in North Carolina, but throughout the country and beyond. Her dedication to protecting those she serves is admirable. The State of North Carolina thanks Dr. Jones for her exemplary standard of public service.
