Hitting Home - A Report on the Police Response to Domestic
Violence 1997SUMMARY
OF RECOMMENDATIONS
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| Recommendation 1 |
Para 3.12 |
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| That the
standard definition of domestic violence to be developed
by The Scottish Office in consultation with forces
includes sub-categories of:- crimes of personal violence
(non-sexual and sexual); other crimes(such as breach of
the peace, threats, and vandalism); and abuse which does
not amount to crime; and that the definition be adopted
by all forces as soon as it is agreed. |
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| Recommendation 2 |
Para 3.13 |
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| That all
forces record domestic incidents so that they can be
reviewed individually and in total, using the
sub-categories referred to in Recommendation
1. |
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| Recommendation 3 |
Para 4.7 |
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| That forces
develop information technology which will automatically
provide officers attending at the scene of a reported
domestic incident, via communications staff, with any
relevant information on the address or alleged perpetrator which is
already held on one or more of that force's databases or
on any police national database.
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| Recommendation 4 |
Para 4.23 |
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| That forces
review procedures and training to ensure that any history
of domestic violence is considered by attending officers
at the time or immediately after the current incident and
that such history is recorded by them in the
crime/incident report. |
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| Recommendation 5 |
Para 5.4 |
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| That all
forces allocate responsibility for daily monitoring of
individual domestic incidents to a nominated post or
posts and that operational line managers of these posts
are also allocated responsibility for supervision of that
function. |
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| Recommendation 6 |
Para 5.5 |
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| That all
forces allocate responsibility for domestic violence
policy and monitoring of statistics at force level
and that the three largest
forces also mirror that responsibility at local command
level. |
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| Recommendation 7 |
Para 5.14 |
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| That forces
clarify responsibility for consideration of further
investigation in domestic incidents involving allegations
or suspicion of physical assault.
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| Recommendation 8 |
Para 5.18 |
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| That forces
draw up guidelines for identification of those victims of
domestic violence who should receive follow-up attention.
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| Recommendation 9 |
Para 5.33 |
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| That all
forces consider the provision, on a short term basis, of
mobile phones or personal alarms operating on
telecommunications systems to particularly vulnerable
victims of domestic violence who have left their
partners. |
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| Recommendation 10 |
Para 5.43 |
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| That
information systems used to record incidents of domestic
violence are used to ensure that police personnel
involved in child protection are made aware of all
incidents in households with children, and that forces
develop a policy, in conjunction with social work
services and Reporters to Children's Panels, concerning
those cases which should be reported to them. |
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| Recommendation 11 |
Para 6.4 |
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| That those
forces which do not already have designated domestic
violence staff consider the need for full or part-time
specialist officers of this kind in light of the findings
and recommendations of this Report.
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| Recommendation 12 |
Para 6.25 |
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That forces
review the content and extent of in-force training on
domestic violence, bearing in mind:
- the need for
probationer and other constables to receive
awareness as well as procedural training
- the value of
involving Women's Aid workers in delivery
- new provision to
first line managers by the Scottish Police
College.
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| Recommendation 13 |
Para 7.2 |
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| That The
Scottish Office review Police (CC) Circular 3/1990 to
take account of the findings and recommendations of this
Report. |
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