Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council
There has been recent interest in how police use risk assessment tools in cases of domestic abuse, more specifically DASH, which is short for Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour-Based Violence.
Around 20% of all police recorded crime relates to domestic abuse, accounting for over 400,000 recorded incidents each year. It remains one of the most prevalent crime types that officers respond to every day.
When officers attend reports of domestic abuse, they assess the risk of harm to a victim. This primary assessment, alongside other factors, will help inform recording and the initial investigation of criminal offences, as well as indicate what safeguarding a victim may need and whether they require follow-up support from specialists or other agencies.
Assessing risk is complex and the tools are not a “one-size fits all approach”. There are multiple tools that support an officer in assessing risk, including DASH and Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment (DARA), which are always used alongside professional judgement, training, experience and an officer’s observation of the situation.
A risk assessment is a snapshot in time and based on the information available there and then; risk can change very quickly which is why our approach must be flexible and always take into account the wider context.
A further, more in-depth risk assessment may be carried out at a later date by an investigator or independent support worker specially trained in domestic abuse, using DASH, DARA, or an alternative tool.
We are aware of the limitations of DASH when used by frontline officers. The College of Policing reviewed the use of DASH in 2015; this involved in-depth research which found inconsistency in the way that the DASH tool was applied by first responders and information recorded and the need for a greater focus on controlling and coercive behaviour. An extensive international literature review did not identify a better alternative.
The College of Policing sought to address these shortcomings with the creation of DARA. For instance, DARA uses open questions which have been shown to better get to the root of what is happening, particularly in higher risk cases involving coercive and controlling behaviour. DARA remains the recommended tool for frontline officers conducting primary risk assessments, and many forces use this tool, sometimes in conjunction with DASH as a secondary risk assessment tool.
While there is the potential for Artificial Intelligence-assisted predictive models to inform decisions around risk, either at the frontline or in subsequent offender management, the College does not believe existing models can yet replace the primary risk identification interview or wholly replace professional judgement-based assessment.
Assistant Chief Constable Claire Bell, Deputy Director of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection, said:
“Domestic abuse is a highly complex and nuanced crime, which is why police officers must be supported with the right training and tools to identify offences and protect victims.
“This includes risk assessment tools that are designed to help first responders and specialist investigators identify wider patterns of behaviour that can indicate the level of risk posed to a victim.
“However, neither DASH nor DARA are designed to be used in isolation and only provide a snapshot of information available at the time; we also expect and encourage officers to use their own professional curiosity, training and experience to bring offenders to justice and ensure the effective safeguarding of victims. We have worked with the specialist domestic abuse sector to develop and deliver training that has been proven to increase officers’ understanding of the dynamics of abuse and their empathy with victims.
“Risk assessment models must be rooted in strong evidence and evaluation. The College has undertaken significant work to identify and address limitations of existing risk assessment models, taking into account the available evidence and listening to policing, victims, academic experts and stakeholders.
“Moving forward, the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), will work to consider the risk assessment tools available to forces with a view to driving consistency and best practice across the country.
“We are steadfastly committed to doing everything we can to protect victims of domestic abuse and will continue our efforts to help police forces to effectively and consistently manage any potential risk.”