Logan police introduce a few questions to save lives
By Danielle Green
“Utah has one of the highest domestic violences rates in the nation. The rate is one in three women, which is higher than the national average of one in four,” said James Boyd, development director of CAPSA, Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse. He described the need for a newly established intervention for domestic violence in Cache County.
The Lethality Assessment Program, also known as LAP, was officially established within the Logan City Police Department as of Sept. 1 of this year.
Founded in Maryland, the LAP is a list of questions used at crime scenes for reports on domestic violence. These questions are designed to evaluate the victim’s risk of homicide with the goal to protect those who are suffering in abusive relationships. According to CAPSA’s recent press release, the LAP has seen a 30 percent drop in domestic violence homicides from 2007 to 2013 once implemented.
According to the Cache County sheriff’s reports, the number of local incidents labeled as domestic violence in 2014 was 113. This figure does not include child victims or other crimes that fall into subcategories of domestic violence, so the actual number of incidents is much greater.
“Qualifications vary a bit when assessing how to fully address an individual’s needs,” Boyd said.
The LAP program has given them an effective protocol in pinpointing when a spectrum of abuse — including verbal, physical, emotional and even financial — is present in a relationship and how it is affecting the individuals involved.
The assessment determines the level of necessity for a direct connection to CAPSA from a crime scene.
“When they score high, they have a high risk of being killed,” Boyd said. There is a bright side, however. “The services are 100 percent confidential and free.”
CAPSA offers a fairly large and diverse range of services for both men and women, from sheltering victims to prevention education. They will also offer help to secondary victims, such as children of an abusive couple. It does not matter how mild or severe the situation is, they are always willing to help those who are experiencing abuse of any kind.
“If you contact us, we aren’t trying to tell you how to live. We are just here to support you in every way possible,” Boyd said.
Dr. Michael Twohig, professor of psychology at Utah State University and expert on PTSD, helps to further expound on the LAP’s effectiveness and the process of helping those who seek help.
“Not everyone who has a trauma has a PTSD reaction,” Twohig said. “The question is how are they responding or reacting to the traumatic event. It makes a difference in what you do for therapy.”
Twohig said it is important to match the treatment to the person. It is also extremely important for the assessment’s questions to have validation.
“It’s a research process,” Twohig said, “and you want to use a system that measures what you want it to measure. Like with depression. Through multiple tests, you want to prove that you are measuring depression.”
This explanation provides a lot to consider for those completing the assessment so that CAPSA’s services can fulfill their optimal potential.
Building on other considerations, Twohig also mentioned the importance of addressing the other side of abuse.
“There’s a fair amount of research that shows that the perpetrator also needs some form of therapy. They need to learn proper skills on how to handle things and handle their emotions,” Twohig said.
While it is clear that CAPSA offers strong support to victims of abuse, it is not clear how the perpetrator is handled on their part. The exception, according to CAPSA’s website, is a protective order. This is intended to protect cohabitants from developing or continuing an abusive relationship.
A benefit to the LAP is that it raises awareness of the help that’s available, including education on preventing abuse.
“Education on how to handle the current situation is key, which is different from coping with the trauma of domestic violence. They need to learn how to restructure their lives around the situation,” Twohig said.
SAAVI, or Sexual Assault & Anti-Violence Information, is another program that addresses similar situations and is located just north of USU’s main campus. There is always support available for anyone who is currently experiencing abuse or has in the past.
Logan City Police Department can be contacted at (435) 716-9300, and the CAPSA 24-hour crisis hotline is (435) 753-2500. The SAAVI hotline is (435) 797-RAPE (7273).
— daniellegreen624@gmail.co