LETHALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM Presented by Tamara Reif & Mary Foley Everything You Wanted to Know Presented by Tamara Reif & Mary Foley Ending Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Conference | December 2014

What is the LAP? Innovative strategy to prevent domestic violence homicides and serious injuries. Provides an easy and effective method for law enforcement and other community professionals (health care providers, clergy members, case workers, and court personnel) to identify Victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners, and immediately connect them to the local domestic violence service program. Multi-pronged intervention that consists of a standardized, evidence-based lethality assessment instrument and accompanying referral protocol that helps first responders make a differentiated response that is tailored to the unique circumstances of High-Danger victims.

HOW DOES IT WORK? The LAP is initiated when a trained officer arrives at the scene of a domestic call—or when a community professional believes a victim of abuse may be in danger—and assesses the victim’s situation. If there is any doubt about the risk of lethality a victim may be facing, the officer or community professional will ask the victim to answer an evidence-based series of eleven questions known as the Lethality Screen for First Responders. If the victim’s response to the questions indicates an increased risk for homicide, the officer or community professional states he/she is going to place a phone call to the local 24-hour domestic violence hotline to seek advice and encourages the victim to speak with the specially trained hotline advocate. Talking on the phone is always the victim’s decision.

Lethality Assessment: Identifies victims who are in danger of being killed. Lethality Assessment Program Identifies victims of domestic violence who are at the greatest risk of being killed, for the purpose of getting them out of harm’s way, if necessary, and encouraging them to go into domestic violence services.

Background The Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence was awarded grant in 2003. Lethality Assessment Committee created LAP- committee comprised of law enforcement, other criminal justice system practitioners, several researchers, and domestic violence advocates. The Lethality Screen adapted from Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell’s Danger Assessment, a screening instrument used by counselors and clinicians to assess a victim’s risk of homicide or severe re-assault. Danger assessment developed in 1985 and revised in 1988. Research around the danger assessment led to the LAP, which is designed to reduce number of DV related homicides. After 2 years of development, field testing, workshops, and evaluation, the LAP was implemented on Oct. 1, 2005. Since June of 2009, 14 states, 350 law enforcement agencies, 48 DV agencies in 118 counties have implemented the LAP.

THE RESEARCH: Maryland Stats (2006-2010) 32,000 screens administered to 4.3 million 54% assessed at High Danger (HD) 59% of HD victims spoke on phone to hotline 33% of HD victims who spoke went into services 1 screen administered for every 450 people/year

Intimate Partner Homicides 1,500 DV fatalities a year in U.S. Police previously on scene in 50% of DV homicides Only 4% of DV homicide victims had ever availed themselves of DV services Re-assault dropped by 60% when victims went into shelter Intimate Partner Homicides 1976: 1,587 women + 1,304 men = 2,894 2005: 1,181 women + 329 men = 1,510 ● 48% reduction overall 75% reduction for men 26% reduction for women

Lethality assessment, just by administering an instrument: Causes greater awareness of danger and lethality. Causes greater consideration of proactive interventions. Educates system participants. Enhances 3 C’s: coordination, communication, and cooperation. Allows victims to see through “different lens”.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF LAP An important by-product of the LAP has been improved partnerships and collaboration among law enforcement officers and other community practitioners and advocates. New guidelines were created for hotline advocates who speak to High-Danger victims and special protocols have been developed for health care providers. LAP best practices now include follow-up telephone calls and team officer-advocate home visits to victims to provide support and encouragement to use program services, and the screening of victims in court prior to or following temporary protective order hearings.

Where is lap? As of 2013, jurisdictions in 30 states, including Maryland, are implementing the LAP. Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Indiana Kentucky Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi New Hampshire New York North Carolina North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington

Data from Louisville 3,336 total calls 5.6 screens per day average July 2012 – September 2014 3,336 total calls 5.6 screens per day average 127 calls per month average 66% of calls assessed as High Danger

Averages for our program: 61% of clients speak with an Advocate 61% agree to a follow up call Percentage includes any client who agreed to follow up, whether or not they spoke with an advocate 9% agree to shelter About 55% of clients who agree to shelter come in Percentages include all clients, not just those that spoke with an advocate 27% receive further services from CWF 69% of callers have never called CWF before 15% of clients are multiple LAP call clients A client who police have screened after a DV incident on more than one occasion during the program During a LAP call some of the services the client can receive are safety planning, assistance with CPS reporting or filing an EPO, referrals, assistance relocating, and shelter.

CHALLENGES REACHING OUR CLIENTS On average, 27% of our follow up calls are successful. A follow up call is considered successful if our advocates actually speak with the client, allowing the advocate to offer further support. Leaving a message on a client’s voicemail or leaving a message with a family member is not considered a successful follow up This challenge often comes from our service population not having a stable phone line because of safety concerns or economic hardship

ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES Mutual LAP calls and perpetrator LAP calls Within our program we have had a number of instances where both parties in the relationship will be separate LAP calls. There have also been times when the client who “screened in” is in our record system as a perpetrator. Mutual Lap calls will often happen months apart and both parties will “screen in” when they are listed as the victim. These calls raise the issue of police and advocates identifying the primary aggressor, and the impact of local domestic violence arrest policies. Limited shelter space Open shelter space is always a scarce commodity in our program in general. It is always a challenge to take on additional clients without necessarily increasing shelter capacity. Assisting clients in finding long term safe housing is also a challenge as all housing and shelter programs face issues of overcapacity in our city.

DATA FROM PADUCAH 50% of the 14 homicides committed in the city’s jurisdiction from 2006 through 2012 were due to domestic violence. Almost 50% of all reported assaults in our jurisdiction were domestic in nature. Our traditional approach regarding domestic violence issues was not effective. Total Assaults & Domestic Violence Assaults Paducah, KY 2008-2013 Percentage related to Domestic Violence 32.12% 51.14% 51.76% 47.58% 48.53% 45.52%

A TIME FOR ACTION We believed that in order to see a positive change it would take a team approach to reduce domestic violence recidivism rates. Law enforcement merely making an arrest or briefly separating the parties does not fix the problem, nor does housing domestic violence victims temporarily in a shelter or crisis center. This is all reactionary. If we, as community partners, can be proactive with our victims and offenders, we will be able to address the issues causing the instances of domestic violence: Are they repeat victims? Are there services the victims/offenders are lacking? Are the victims/offenders unemployed or under-employed? Are there untreated substance or alcohol abuse issues? Are there medical or mental health issues not being addressed? Are there other miscellaneous issues causing stress on the relationship leading to the violence?

LETHALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM In 2013, we applied for the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence Grant to implement their Lethality Assessment Program. It is used to assess domestic situations that officers respond to as a means to predict and help prevent the victim’s risk of death or serious physical injury. The LAP also assists in connecting victims with domestic violence service providers in their area. LAP assistance follows the victim from the time of the offense through the end of the court process and beyond because community partners (law enforcement, shelter, crisis workers, health care, schools, churches, court system, etc.) all have a role in making the program work.

What Is On The Assessment? The MNADV studied several years of domestic violence cases from across the nation involving serious injury or death. They discovered 11 common occurrences these cases shared. They were then able to form questions for the officers to ask the victims to predict the possibility of future serious assaults or homicide. There is even room for an officer’s discretion should the victim’s responses not trigger protocol.

SOLUTIONS Commitment to OPEN and HONEST communication. Regular meetings. Routine analysis of data being produced. On-going training. Educating the public. Involving other community partners. (Social Services, Prosecutors, Schools, Churches, Business Leaders, Civic Groups, etc.) Growing the program.

Building upon a great program Were we successful? What are we up against? of the approximately 1,500 homicides that occur nationally every year that involve domestic violence, that roughly only 4% had reached out for service of any kind. in the instances of domestic violence where victims do reach out for assistance, their likelihood of domestic-related severe assault or homicide is reduced by 60%. Creation of the follow-up component to the LAP After completing the trial phase, we took time to see what impact, if any, was made. We knew that statistics showed that of the approximately 1,500 homicides that occur nationally every year that involve domestic violence, that roughly only 4% had reached out for service of any kind. On the other hand, we also knew that in the instances of domestic violence where victims do reach out for assistance, their likelihood of domestic-related severe assault or homicide is reduced by 60%. There were over 90 LAP’s done in our trial phase. 69% were high risk and were referred for service! We wanted to carry the LAP further and worked together to design a follow-up component to our program. Within 48 hours of our initial visit, the original officer or a designee familiar with the call will re-contact the victim either by phone or in person. They will see if there has been any new incidents of violence, see if the victim needs to be referred to any other services, make sure they have either a written or recorded statement from the victim, take more photos if needed, make sure they are in communication with the prosecutors, etc.

What is on the Supplement? The supplement lends to the officer an opportunity to get better contact information for the victim for court purposes. They can also build a stronger case file by having another opportunity to obtain statements and evidentiary photos. The officer can also gather important information on the suspect which can improve the safety of not only the victim, but of future responding officers. The officer can also reiterate the importance of the victim following up with the shelter and the prosecutors.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE? Offer preventative education to involve the entire community with a program like Green Dot. Create a Domestic Violence Outreach Team. Create an Offender Program.

QUESTIONS??

CONTACT INFORMATION Mary E. Foley, M.S., LPA Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center 270.443.6001 E-mail: maryf@merrymanhouse.org Tamara Reif, MSSW The Center for Women and Families 502.581.7228 E-mail: tamara.reif@cwfempower.org