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Lethality Assessment Program (LAP)

The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) began in Connecticut on September 15, 2012. LAP is an innovative partnership with law enforcement to implement nationally recognized risk assessment strategies to better serve domestic violence victims in the greatest danger. Connecticut is one of only ten states nationwide selected to participate in the program.

The program, which is a result of collaboration between CCADV and the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POSTC), is being piloted through 8 CCADV member domestic violence service agencies with 14 municipal law enforcement agencies. Please see below for a complete listing of participating agencies and towns.

Modeled after the LAP first piloted in Maryland in 2005, this program is a two-pronged intervention process that makes use of a specialized lethality assessment instrument and an accompanying protocol. Trained police on the scene of a domestic violence call assess a victim's risk for serious injury or death and can then immediately link those at greatest risk to their local domestic violence advocate for support and safety information.

Some examples of lethality factors include: has the abuser ever threatened to kill the victim; has the abuser ever used or tried to use a weapon against the victim; or has the victim recently separated from or divorced the abuser. Factors such as these often indicate an increased likelihood that a situation could become fatal.

The Maryland LAP, which is credited with reducing that state's domestic-violence related homicide rate by 40%, evolved from research findings by Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell of Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing:
  • In 50% of domestic violence-related homicides, officers had previously responded to the scene
  • Only 4% of domestic violence murder victims nationwide had ever availed themselves of domestic violence(program) services
  • The re-assault of domestic violence victims in high danger was reduced by 60% if they went to shelter


Please click HERE for additional information about the project background and overview.

List of participating domestic violence agencies and law enforcement agencies:

Domestic Violence Agency    Catchment Area  Police Department 
Center for Domestic Violence Services
at BHcare		 Valley  Shelton Police Dept.
 Ansonia Police Dept.
Center for Domestic Violence Services
at BHcare    		 Greater New Haven
and Shoreline		  North Haven Police Dept.
 Guilford Police Dept.
Domestic Abuse Services, YWCA Greenwich  Greenwich   Greenwich Police Dept.
Interval House  Hartford   Manchester Police Dept.
Prudence Crandall Center  New Britain   New Britain Police Dept.
 Plainville Police Dept.
Safe Futures (formerly Women's Center of
Southeastern CT) 		 New London   New London Police Dept.
 Groton City Police Dept.
 Norwich Police Dept.
 Waterford Police Dept.
Domestic Violence Crisis Center  Norwalk/Stamford   Norwalk Police Dept.
Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury  Waterbury  Waterbury Police Dept. 


Staff Contact: Joe Froehlich, Law Enforcement Coordinator
Phone: (860) 282-7899
Email: jfroehlich@ctcadv.org