“So Just with every Facet, Every Side of this Journey, They Have Somebody Walking alongside with Them”: Practitioners’ Perspectives of the Lethality Assessment Program as a Collaborative Model

Abstract

Purpose

As criticism of the criminalization of domestic violence (DV) has gained momentum, programs such as the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) have been developed to enhance victim safety and improve collaboration between the criminal justice system and victim service community agencies. Few studies, however, have explored practitioners’ perceptions of the LAP, particularly as it relates to collaborative efforts between victim service and law enforcement agencies. This study was interested in identifying (1) how practitioners describe the goals of the LAP, (2) practitioners’ perceptions of and experiences with LAP implementation, 2) the perceived challenges, barriers, and successes of the LAP, and 4) practitioners’ perceptions of the LAP as it relates to its promise and effectiveness in expanding beyond a strictly criminal justice response to DV.

Methods

This descriptive, qualitative case study employed 17 semi-structured interviews to explore victim advocates’ and law enforcement officers’ (LEOs) experiences with the LAP in Virginia as an example of such collaborative efforts.

Results

Findings identify challenges and successes of the program that illustrate tensions and opportunities between the criminal justice system and victim advocacy. Examples of identified challenges included language and cultural barriers, DV victims declining to participate in the LAP, and officer resistance to implementing risk assessment. Successes included connecting DV victims to services and improving their knowledge surrounding abuse. Findings also highlight intended and unintended consequences of the program.

Conclusions

Policy implications regarding the potential for collaboration efforts to diminish exclusive reliance on the criminal justice system and suggestions for future research are discussed.