Mario J. Scalora, Ph.D.
337 Burnett Hall
Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0308
(402) 472-3126
mscalora1@unl.edu
**Dr. Scalora will not be recruiting doctoral students for the 2025 academic year. **
Team Objectives
The goal of the Targeted Violence Research Team is to apply behavioral science principles to the detection, assessment, and management of targeted violence (see Research page). Targeted violence refers to violence that is goal-directed, predatory, and focused towards a specific individual(s) (e.g., stalking, terrorism, sexual assault). Threat assessment is the process of gathering information in an effort to estimate the threat of violence posed by a person or group of persons. Threat management refers to strategies that can be taken to prevent violence and mitigate a threat. In contrast to the assessment of impulsive behavior, law enforcement and mental health practitioners addressing “targeted violence” address situations in which there is the assessment of risk posed to an identified (or identifiable) target by an identified (or identifiable) perpetrator.
Threat assessment is also distinct from criminal profiling, which investigates types of individuals likely to commit certain offenses based on crime scene inferences. The lab does not conduct research or training related to criminal profiling.
Collaborative and Partnering Agencies
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Lincoln Public Schools | Nebraska Emergency | Nebraska | University of Nebraska Lincoln | University of Nebraska |
Professional Conferences
Lab members are expected to attend and/or present at least one professional conference annually. Some of the annual conferences of interest include:
American Psychology-Law Society Annual Conference
Annual Meeting and Conference of The International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services
Annual ATAP Threat Management Conference
Annual Meeting of The American Society of Criminology
Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers
Internships
According to the official report by the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC), 95% of applicants from the UNL Clinical Psychology Program matched to an internship from 2011 to 2019. Since joining the UNL faculty in 1997, every student from Dr. Scalora’s lab has matched to an internship site. Most students are placed at one of their top three picks. Typical internship sites include VA Hospitals, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and Forensic State Hospitals. For detailed information on internship site data from past graduate students of the team, please visit the Past Team Members page.
Future Employment
Graduates from the research team have gained employment within a variety of venues, including:
- Academia
- Community Mental Health/ Human Service Agencies
- Government Administrative Agencies (State/Federal)
- Law Enforcement Agencies
- Military
- State Hospitals