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We recently spoke with Dr. Tamara Madensen, assistant professor at UNLV's Department of Criminal Justice and upcoming speaker at the 2012 International Crowd Management Conference about the evolution of crowd management, and how certain events can easily progress into dangerous situations without proper monitoring and management. 

How has crowd management changed in the past decade? 
One of the most critical shifts in crowd management has been the increasing recognition (and demand for) industry-wide standards. In terms of crowd violence, we have become more cognizant of the role that crowd managers play in either suppressing or instigating aggression in crowds. This has fostered a greater interest developing partnerships with organizations that can develop "best practice" models. This was the impetus for establishing the Crowd Management Research Council at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. We plan to work in partnership with IAVM to conduct and distribute research to industry professionals. 

Was there a particular event/incident that you see that really impacted the way we handle crowds now? 
My research focuses on crowd behaviors in a variety of settings. Most recently, the Occupy protests have reignited debates about how best to manage politically-motivated crowds. The divergent outcomes of the various movements across the U.S. highlighted the importance of gathering intelligence during event planning stages, and using this information to proactively create safe environments for protestors, security, police, and bystanders. Of course, historic events such as The Who concert and the English Hillsborough disaster continue to serve as reminders of the dangers of poor event planning and response in venue settings. 

What will be the focus of your session at ICMC? 
The upcoming ICMC presentation will focus on the psychology of crowd (non)compliance. We will examine how physical and social cues can be used to encourage (or discourage) particular crowd reactions. Specific case studies will be used to demonstrate the usefulness of theoretical frameworks for event planning, and our discussions will integrate research findings to help us to better understand the dynamics of crowd violence.