Missoula’s Lethality Assessment Program
In 2015, following two domestic violence homicides, the Missoula Police Department implemented a Lethality Assessment Program piloting it with one patrol team. Through Just Response and technical assistance from the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, the LAP was implemented in the Sheriff’s Department and University Police Department in July 2016.
WHAT IS THE LAP?
The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) educates intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors about risk factors for homicide and connects them with support and safety planning services and gives law enforcement officers a resource to leave the victim with.
The LAP is a risk assessment law enforcement may give to a victim after ensuring the crime scene is secure and the investigation of the incident is complete and certain criteria are met. If the individuals involved are intimate partners and the officer discerns a “manifestation of danger,” the officer asks the victim the 11 questions on the Lethality Screen. The screen itself takes less than five minutes to conduct and is adapted from Dr. Danielle Campbell’s Danger Assessment, an instrument used by clinicians and counselors to assess a victim’s risk of being killed by an intimate partner.
When lethality indicators are present the officer asks to connect the victim to the Missoula YWCA or Student Advocacy Resource Center for follow up support.
To learn more about the LAP please click here.
Statistics
14% of men and 24% of women will experience severe physical violence at the hands of a partner in their lifetime.
Research shows that for 28-33% of victims, the homicide or attempted homicide was the first act of violence.
In the year prior to a homicide, 44% of abusers were arrested and almost 1/3 of victims contacted the police, only 4% of victims had used a domestic violence hotline or shelter within the year prior.
Between 2008 and 2013, Maryland saw a 32% drop in domestic violence-related deaths. While this effect cannot be directly attributed to the LAP, increasing participation in the LAP contributed.
Participants in the LAP were significantly more satisfied with the police response than the comparison group.