The Lethality Assessment Program

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that 3 women are killed by a current or former intimate partner every day. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (2001-2012), 6.488 American soldiers were killed. During that same time, 11,766 women were murdered by a current or former male partner. Since 2008, more than 100 people lost their lives as a result of domestic violence each year. Domestic violence is deadly – not just for those who are being abused. In fact, domestic calls are some of the most dangerous for law enforcement. A study by the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund found that 22% of officer deaths that occur in the line of duty happen while responding to domestic violence calls.

Those statistics are difficult to understand. With all we know about intimate partner violence, why can’t we stop these killings? Through the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP), the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hoping to do just that. 

In 2012, PCADV began to implement LAP in 12 pilot counties. Research had shown that only 4% of victims of domestic violence related homicide ever sought help from a domestic violence service provider. Research also showed that in the year prior to the homicide, 44% of abusers were arrested and that nearly 1/3 of the victims had called the police. The LAP provides law enforcement officers, who usually have the first contact with victims of domestic violence, a quick, evidence-based tool that can help to identify a person who is at high risk of lethality and connect that person with a domestic violence program in their area.

It works like this:  A law enforcement officer asks a victim a series of 11 questions that are proven indicators of a high risk of lethality. Based on the answers the victim provides, she (or he) can be “screened in” – or assessed at being high risk. Extensive research has shown that certain behaviors and circumstances are often present in domestic violence homicides.

·        The abuser threatens the victim with weapons.

·        The abuser has access to firearms.

·        The abuser threatens to kill the victim.

·        The abuser attempts to strangle the victim.

·        The abuser is violently jealous and/or attempts to control the victim’s daily activities.

·        The victim has recently separated from the victim.

·        The abuser stalks the victim.

·        The abuser is unemployed.

·        The abuser has threatened suicide.

·        The victim has a child who is not the abuser’s biological child.

·        The victim believes the abuser will kill them.

If the victim’s answers indicate a high risk of lethality, or if the officer feels there is a high risk, the officer immediately uses a cell phone to connect the victim with a trained domestic violence advocate. The advocate will speak with the victim briefly to safety plan, offer options for shelter or seeking a protection from abuse order, or offer other services. The whole process is very quick, and more than anything, it saves lives. Maryland implemented the program in 2008, and during the first five years, they saw a 32% reduction in domestic violence-related homicides.

We still have a long way to go in getting statewide implementation of the LAP, especially in rural counties. Much of the most rural areas in our state are served by the Pennsylvania State Police, who have yet to adopt the LAP. In Union, Snyder, and Northumberland counties, only 4 police departments have adopted the LAP. As the new Legal Advocacy Coordinator for Transitions, one of my goals is to work with law enforcement to get officers in our service area trained on using the LAP. I am hoping that through a focused effort and collaboration between our agency and law enforcement, we will start to see more assessments being completed and sent to our agency.

Since 2012, the Lethality Assessment Program has been implemented in 278 law enforcement agencies in 45 counties. Of the 14,227 assessments that have been completed, 9,761 have “screened in” as high danger. Law enforcement officers around the state have come to understand that this tool is worthwhile. I encourage you to take a moment to read PCADV’s five-year report on the LAP, which includes many real-world examples of how the Lethality Assessment Program is working for law enforcement. While we can’t know exactly how many lives have been saved as a result of the lethality assessment program, we do know that we are at least providing law enforcement officers with another tool that can help to combat the violent and often deadly crime of domestic violence. 

Written by Tara D., Legal Advocacy Coordinator