Intimate Partner Homicide in England and Wales 2011\u20132013: Pathways to Prediction from Multi-agency Domestic Homicide Reviews

Eamonn Bridger,John Parkinson,Lawrence W Sherman,Heather Strang

doi:10.1007/s41887-017-0013-z

Abstract

Research QuestionWhat pathways to more accurate prediction of intimate partner homicide (IPH) can be found by reviewing two years of official Domestic Homicide Reviews in England and Wales?DataThis study conducted a detailed review of investigative source material, police database information and the official independent author reviews of the 188 cases of intimate partner homicide recorded in England and Wales between April 2011 and March 2013.MethodsDescriptive analytical techniques were used to explore the prevalence of various characteristics of victims, offenders and relationships in these cases, with special attention given to offender suicide ideation as a precursor to the crimes.FindingsOffenders in these cases were 86% male, with high rates of both chronic substance abuse (61%) and prior reported offending (50%) against their homicide victim. The most disproportionately prevalent characteristic appears to be that 40% of the male offenders were known by someone, but often not to police, as suffering suicidal ideation, self-harm or attempted suicides. The prevalence of that marker, while not measureable in the general population, is over four times higher than the pre-offence police indications of suicidal tendencies across 80 domestic homicides in Leicestershire (Button et al., 2017).ConclusionsIt is plausible that many more intimate partner homicides might be accurately predicted, and perhaps prevented, with more public investment in obtaining data on suicidal indicators and more proactive treatment of domestic abuse offenders known to suffer suicidal tendencies.

Highlights

While reported domestic abuse (DA) has remained at persistently high levels over the past decade, its relationship to domestic homicide remains difficult to unravel
The present study reports the findings from that thesis that showed the greatest prevalence of factors known or knowable prior to the homicide
A 40% rate of suicidal indication among the male offenders may be the most useful of any of these characteristics in distinguishing people who are much more likely to kill their partners than other offenders

Summary

Introduction

While reported domestic abuse (DA) has remained at persistently high levels over the past decade, its relationship to domestic homicide remains difficult to unravel. Studies have shown IPH is the type of homicide where women come closest to matching the prevalence of men as offenders. The present study reports the findings from that thesis that showed the greatest prevalence of factors known or knowable prior to the homicide.

Results

Conclusion