Professional Summary

Tactical/Forensic Linguist and Threat Analyst with 10+ years of operational experience assessing targeted violence, terrorism, extremism and crisis communications for law enforcement, corporate security and violence prevention teams. Deep expertise applying structured professional judgement instruments (TRAP-18, WAVR-21, CTAP-25) to language evidence to identify early warning behaviors, psychological risk indicators and escalation signs of radicalization and violence.

Proven ability to translate complex findings into decision-ready linguistic threat assessments, intelligence briefings and actionable guidance for multi-disciplinary stakeholders across public and private sector. Active ATAP member and Membership Coordinator for the Los Angeles Chapter.

Need a linguistic threat assessment or consultation? Contact me securely at info@juliakupper.com!

Subject Matter Expertise

My work bridges the gap between language science and operational security. Over the past five years, I have developed, researched and implemented Tactical Linguistics, a pre-incident approach that integrates linguistic analysis into multi-disciplinary threat assessment teams. This work is directly applicable to counterterrorism, national security, public safety and protective intelligence operations.

By examining written and spoken communications, I help teams identify indicators of intent, escalation and risk before violence occurs. I am a trained expert in using three structured professional judgment instruments (TRAP-18, WAVR-21 and CTAP-25), which I regularly use in my case work to assess the language evidence of subjects of concern. To date, I have published seven scientific studies about the TRAP-18, with two more currently under peer-review.

I have also advised on LLM response guidelines to high-risk interactions for a major AI company as part of a small expert focus group involving violent ideation, grievance-fueled hostility and pre-attack planning indicators. I contributed behavioral and tactical linguistics expertise and bridging threat assessment frameworks with AI safety policy.

Operational Training & Memberships

Core Frameworks

• Terrorist Radicalization Assessment Protocol (TRAP-18) — Dr. Reid Meloy (01/2021)

  • Specialized training in 18 warning behaviors of terrorists and targeted violence offenders

• Communications Threat Assessment Protocol (CTAP-25) — Theseus (01/2022)

  • Specialized training in 25 indicators for problematic online and offline communications

• Workplace & Campus Assessment of Violence Risk (WAVR-21) — Drs. Stephen White and Reid Meloy (02/2023)

  • Specialized training in 21 items for the assessment of workplace and campus targeted violence risk

Additional Training

• Elements of AI: Introduction to AI — University of Helsinki (06/2026)

  • Certificate for the study of computer systems designed to exhibit autonomy and adaptivity by combining real-world problem solving, machine learning and neural networks while evaluating their broader societal implication

• Stalking Risk Assessment and Management — Drs. Randy Kropp and Stephen Hart @CATAP (11/2024)

  • Training for assessment and management of risk for stalking, harassment and bullying in cases involving ex-intimate partners, co-workers, public figures and strangers

• Threat Evaluation and Reporting Overview — Department of Homeland Security, National Threat Evaluation and Reporting Program Office (04/2024)

  • Recognize warning signs of terrorism and mass violence, triage suspicious activity reporting and address threatening or concerning behaviors before an individual escalates to violence

• Advanced Threat Assessment Academy — Gavin de Becker & Associates (10/2022)

  • Applied threat detection, protective intelligence, violence prevention concepts and scenario-based training

• Terrorism Threat Assessment Masterclass — Dr. Paul Gill @CATAP (10/2022)

  • Advanced workshop for the assessment of terrorism-related behaviors and risk indicators

• Terrorism Liaison Officer — Joint Regional Intelligence Center (09/2019)

  • Intelligence sharing, terrorism indicators, interagency coordination

Professional Memberships

• Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP), Los Angeles Chapter and Membership Coordinator for the ATAP LA Chapter

• Past: International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA); Germanic Society for Forensic Linguistics (GSFL)

Education

Advanced Postgraduate Credentials in Forensic Linguistics

Forensic Linguistics Institute (Powys, UK) | 2016 – 2020

• Qualifications:

  • Advanced Diploma in “Forensic Linguistics” — distinction (04/2020)

  • Diploma in “Forensic Linguistics” — distinction (07/2018)

  • Advanced Certificate in “Forensic Linguistics” — distinction (08/2016)

  • Certificate in “Forensic Linguistics” — merit (06/2016)

• Applied case work: completed intensive analysis of real criminal case evidence, including suicide notes, ransom demands, hate mail, confessions and communications related to kidnapping and homicide investigations

• Mentorship: trained directly under the late Dr. John Olsson, one of the field’s leading practitioners.

Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in English Language/Linguistics

University of Westminster (London, UK) | 2008 – 2013

• Academic Standing: First-Class Honors (Summa Cum Laude equivalent)

• Core Focus: structural linguistic theory, including syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, phonology, phonetics, dialectology, morphology and intercultural communication

• Minor: professional translation and interpretation (English/German)