The authors of this work assert that, rather than being random and senseless, many acts of violence in the workplace are the result of conflict which has been allowed to fester. Combining insights of both crisis managment and dispute resolution, the book presents a look at the problem of violence at work and ways of preventing it. Rather than focusing on the supposedly "lethal" or dysfunctional employee as the source of danger, the authors point to the dysfunctional workplace as the problem. They describe underlying factors in the workplace which can foster extreme behaviour and prevent an effective response. Calling for early intervention in situations that could result in violence, the authors suggest specific techniques for reducing the risk that an office, plant or school will suffer crises arising from threats or a climate of hostility. At the heart of the book are 14 examples of real-life incidents involving violence, a threat of violence or a perception that such a threat was made. They include instances in which domestic violence spilled over into the workplace, difficulties caused by racial and ethnic tension, and explosive behaviour in response to common workplace occurrences such as "downsizing" or a change in corporate culture. Each example is followed by an analysis of the response to the actual or potential danger, indicating where mistakes were made because of poor information, bad judgement, absence of a clear policy, lack of consensus, or even irrational fear. An appendix provides government guidelines and sample policies intended to serve as templates for violence-prevention plans. Both the examples and sample policies allow organizations to benefit from the experience of others and avoid common mistakes.