Will she be safe? A critical analysis of risk assessment in domestic violence cases

Abstract

This article describes the emergence of risk assessment and management tools in the UK police response to domestic violence over the past few years and considers the potential and pitfalls of a risk management approach to domestic violence. The development of risk assessment and risk management, and the targeting of resources on high risk domestic violence cases, require a more strategic approach to domestic violence than was previously typical. The main purpose of risk assessment and management is to improve the protection of and interventions for families who are experiencing domestic violence, and to target interventions on those who present the highest risk. As risk is necessarily an unknown, risk assessments are social constructs, and yet they have significant practical and emotional implications for those deemed to be both at risk of being harmed and at risk of harming others. Therefore, the efficacy of risk assessment and management tools deserves critical attention. With risk and crime prevention there is always a balance amongst various interrelated factors, such as: deprivation of liberty; safety of all parties; availability of resources; and reduction of quality of life for perpetrators and their children. This article is based on analysis of policy documents, arrest statistics, a sample of 35 domestic violence victim safety plans, and interviews with senior police officers. It will draw on these resources to consider the extent to which police risk assessment and management in cases of domestic violence gets the balance right.