Unchartered territory? Navigating voice, accountability, and prevention in suicide-related domestic homicide reviews in England and Wales

Abstract

Distinct from a criminal justice investigation, which focuses on the retrospective attribution of responsibility and the imposition of punishment on a perpetrator of abuse, domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) involve a contextual exploration of the circumstances in which the death occurred, with a view to learning lessons that can facilitate improved safeguarding, agency engagement, and support provision. In this article, we report on an analysis of reviews completed in England and Wales in cases of domestic abuse-related suicide, and interviews with professionals and bereaved family members. We highlight challenges faced in relation to facilitating voice and participation, encouraging critical reflection and accountability, and ensuring implementation and prevention. With the DHR regime under review in England and Wales, and a focus on its applicability to deaths by suicide, we reflect on lessons that might be learned from other processes where efforts to cultivate a ‘just’ rather than a ‘blame’ culture have also been made.