Carly MurphyThe number of threats against public officials has risen steadily over the last decade, and a preliminary review of federal charges filed in 2023 and 2024 shows that the threat level continues to rise. A new report shows this could have significant consequences for U.S. democracy this year and into the future.
“Rising Threats to Public Officials: A Review of 10 Years of Federal Data” was published recently by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. The study explores trends in the threats directed at public officials – including elected officials, election workers, education officials, healthcare workers and members of law enforcement and the military.
Peter Simi, a co-author of the report and a professor of sociology at Chapman University, is a national expert on extremist groups, violence, and political extremism and a researcher for the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education (NCITE) Center.
“The threats we’re tracking reflect declining levels of confidence in some of our most important social institutions and growing political divisions across society,” Simi said. “Unfortunately, in the short term, we expect these trends to worsen as we move closer to the November election and especially in the aftermath, which we expect to be a volatile time period. Because of this forecast, it is critical for people of goodwill who believe in democratic processes to find ways of supporting public officials and the systems they represent.”
Among some of the notable conclusions and findings outlined in the report:
- Threats against public officials have increased steadily since 2017, corresponding with a general increase in polarization following the 2016 presidential election.
- The growing number of threats may represent a growing tolerance for violence among Americans and the formation of “a culture that helps normalize their use to express certain ideas and emotions.”
- A number of obstacles make it difficult to formulate an effective response to the rising number of threats. One is the blurry line between protected speech and criminal threats. Another is the anonymity created by a wide range of digital technology and traditionally easy access to public officials.
- Without intervention from policymakers, law enforcement and the public, the damage these threats present to governing systems will likely increase.
Pete Simi is available to discuss the insights outlined in the report and the implications for American democracy and the 2024 election cycle.
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About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from 123 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 60 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.
Media Contact:
Molly Thrasher. Director of Public Relations | thrasher@chapman.edu | Mobile: 657-561-4359
Carly Murphy, Public Relations Coordinator | carmurphy@chapman.edu| Desk: 714-289-3196 | Mobile: 714-497-9683
