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Domestic homicide review (DHR) : case analysis

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Sharp-Jeffs, Nicola and Kelly, Liz (2016) Domestic homicide review (DHR) : case analysis. Project Report. Standing Together Against Domestic Violence, London Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

Crime statistics for England and Wales (Flatley, 2016) show that 332 women and 78 men were killed by their partners/ex-partners between March 2012 and March 2015 – the time period within which the domestic violence homicides analysed in this report took place. In the same time period, 35 women and 46 men were killed by a son/daughter or other family member (see appendix one for details).

Since the implementation of Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act (2004) in 2011, Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) have been a statutory requirement. Local areas are expected to undertake a multi-agency review after a domestic homicide to identify lessons learned and help prevent future incidents. In order to ensure that DHRs effectively draw out relevant learning, the Home Office has established a Quality Assurance process. A Panel of experts from across the statutory and voluntary sectors reviews each report and provides feedback to local areas. Since April 2011, over 300 reviews have been examined by the Quality Assurance Panel.

There has been increasing interest in understanding the national picture on domestic homicide from the information contained within these individual reviews. In November 2013, the Home Office published a Lessons Learned (Home Office, 2013) document drawing out common themes from the first 54 cases reviewed by the Panel. However, many partners expressed the view that, although useful, the themes presented within the Home Office document provided limited insights (HMIC, 2014). Neville and Sanders-McDonagh, (2014: 56) describe the document as an ‘inadequate response to the complex findings that have emerged from DHR reports across the country’.

In recognition of this, the charity Standing Together Against Domestic Violence (STADV) commissioned the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University to undertake an analysis of 32 Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) chaired by its associates (see appendix two for details of the STADV DHR Process). The aim of the analysis was to identify and explore in more depth the themes emerging from the STADV sample, thereby contributing learning to the national picture.

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