ICDVP Risk Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor on the Danger Assessment (DA) scale is most strongly associated with intimate partner homicide?
- Abuser's history of unemployment
- Abuser's access to a firearm (Correct answer)
- Victim's level of education
- Length of the relationship
Correct answer: Abuser's access to a firearm
Access to a firearm by the abuser is one of the strongest predictors of lethality in intimate partner violence situations.
Question 2: When a survivor reports being choked or strangled by their partner, what does this indicate from a risk assessment perspective?
- Low risk because the survivor survived the incident
- A common form of coercive control with minimal escalation risk
- A significant escalation in lethality risk, as strangulation predicts future homicide (Correct answer)
- Only a risk factor if the survivor lost consciousness
Correct answer: A significant escalation in lethality risk, as strangulation predicts future homicide
Strangulation is a critical lethality indicator; survivors who have been strangled are at significantly higher risk of being killed by their abuser.
Question 3: The Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) used by law enforcement in Illinois is designed to:
- Determine criminal charges for the abuser
- Screen for high-danger victims and connect them to services (Correct answer)
- Assess the victim's credibility as a witness
- Replace the need for a written safety plan
Correct answer: Screen for high-danger victims and connect them to services
The LAP is a screening tool that identifies high-danger victims at crime scenes and facilitates warm handoffs to domestic violence hotlines and services.
Question 4: A survivor tells you their abuser has recently threatened to kill them. How should this be weighted in your risk assessment?
- It should be given minimal weight unless weapons are present
- It is a significant high-lethality indicator requiring immediate safety planning (Correct answer)
- It is primarily a sign of emotional volatility rather than physical danger
- It only elevates risk if the abuser has a prior criminal record
Correct answer: It is a significant high-lethality indicator requiring immediate safety planning
Explicit death threats are a major lethality indicator and should trigger an urgent safety planning response.
Question 5: Which scenario best illustrates 'separation violence' as a risk factor?
- A survivor who moves to a new city to escape abuse
- An abuser who escalates violence after the survivor attempts to leave (Correct answer)
- A survivor who separates from multiple abusive partners over time
- Conflict between the survivor and family members after leaving
Correct answer: An abuser who escalates violence after the survivor attempts to leave
Separation violence refers to the dangerous escalation that can occur when a victim attempts to leave, making the period of separation one of the most lethal.
Question 6: In Illinois domestic violence risk assessment, which tool was developed by Jacquelyn Campbell and is widely used by advocates?
- SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment)
- DVSI (Domestic Violence Screening Instrument)
- Danger Assessment (DA) (Correct answer)
- ODARA (Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment)
Correct answer: Danger Assessment (DA)
The Danger Assessment, developed by Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell, is a widely used validated tool that helps survivors and advocates assess their level of danger.
Question 7: What does the term 'coercive control' add to risk assessment beyond physical violence?
- It replaces physical violence as the primary risk indicator
- It provides context for patterns of power and control that elevate long-term danger (Correct answer)
- It is only relevant when the survivor has dependent children
- It reduces assessed risk because it is non-physical
Correct answer: It provides context for patterns of power and control that elevate long-term danger
Coercive control encompasses patterns of isolation, monitoring, and degradation that often predict escalation and are critical to a comprehensive risk assessment.
ICDVP Risk Assessment 2
Which factor on the Danger Assessment (DA) scale is most strongly associated with intimate partner homicide?