Lethality Assessment Protocol

Intimate partner violence is abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship, usually between current or former spouses or current or former dating partners. According to the NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States have experienced some form of intimate partner violence. In North Carolina, 35.2% of women and 30.3% of men experience domestic violence and stalking in their lifetime. Since 2018, the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) has partnered with several communities across the state by sharing and helping implement the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP). The LAP, which was originally created in 2005 by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, is a program designed to prevent intimate partner homicides and serious abuse by connecting high-risk victims with safety resources. This post gives a brief introduction of how the LAP works and information for NC communities that may wish to participate. How does the LAP work? Law enforcement officers who respond to domestic calls use an eleven-question instrument called the “Lethality Screen” to assess a victim’s risk of being killed by an intimate partner. Generally, many of the questions revolve around past behavior exhibited by the alleged offender, including attempts at strangulation and threats made toward the victim. Once the officer determines that there is or has been intimate partner violence, the officer separates the parties and administers the Screen to the victim. Based on the results of the Screen, the officer calls the domestic violence service program [...]