The Virginia Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) is a collaborative effort between the Virginia Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). Based on the "Maryland Model" and the research of Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, LAP is an innovative, evidence-based strategy designed to prevent intimate partner violence homicides and serious injuries. It provides an efficient and effective method for law enforcement officers to identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners, then immediately connect them to their local domestic violence service program. Currently, there are over 60 law enforcement agencies and 30 domestic violence service providers that participate in LAP in Virginia.
The statewide LAP leadership team supports the implementation of LAP through providing training, technical assistance, and statewide networking opportunities for law enforcement and domestic violence service programs. Further, DCJS is responsible for the collection and analysis of data from participating LAP agencies on a biannual basis. Training updates are provided during quarterly LAP Coordinator Meetings and focus on a variety of topics, such as primary aggressor identification, safety planning for victims, and curriculum updates implemented by LAP's parent organization, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV).
Resources
To learn more, visit:
LAP Staff at DCJS
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Chad Felts
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Capacity Building & Sustainability Coordinator | (804) 965-4427 | chad.felts@dcjs.virginia.gov |