Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Protocol

4. Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews

Domestic homicide and suicide reviews may be undertaken following a domestic abuse related death or a connected death of a young person. The overarching aims of domestic homicide and suicide reviews are to help ensure systemic learning locally and nationally and to help prevent future domestic abuse and deaths.

Unlike criminal investigations, domestic homicide and suicide reviews focus on learning. They are not inquiries into why a person died or to establish who may be culpable – these are matters for justice agencies. It is acknowledged that agencies may have their own internal review procedures to investigate serious incidents and mechanisms for reflective practice reviews and disciplinary procedures as appropriate, which take place independently of any domestic homicide or suicide review or criminal investigation.