The policing zeitgeist of ‘threat’, ‘harm’ and ‘risk’ in England and Wales: a systematic review to untangle their definition and operationalisation

The language of threat, harm and risk (T/H/R) holds a central position within contemporary policing discourse. However, its meaning and practical application remain ambiguous and inconsistently understood. This qualitative review sought to clarify these ambiguities by conducting a systematic search across four policing-specific resources and academic databases, identifying 24 articles and reports, supplemented by data obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to all 43 police forces, of which 33 responses were included. Definitions were explored using content analysis and a thematic synthesis approach informed by Braun and Clarke (2021), identifying five shared yet distinct definitional components for each term: Intent and Motivation, Target, Temporal Dimension, Severity and Magnitude and Form and Modality. The operationalisation of these concepts was further analysed through a structured deductive mixed-method content analysis, focusing on five key areas: Identification, Identifier, Assessment, Action and Lack of Standardisation. Based on these findings, a set of working definitions for T/H/R has been proposed to support conceptual clarity and consistency in policing practice. The review concludes by discussing the implications for operational practices, policy and future research, as well as the limitations of the current study.