Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team

The New Mexico Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team (IPVDRT) is a multi-disciplinary fatality review practice authorized by NMSA §31-22-4.1 and funded by the New Mexico Crime Victim Reparations Commission. Fatality review is a method of inquiry that seeks to identify ways to improve prevention and intervention efforts through an examination of the facts and circumstances preceding a death. The IPVDRT focuses on local, state, and federal programs and practices that aim to prevent injury and death in incidents of intimate partner and sexual violence.

Reports

The Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team (IPVDRT) is required to submit an annual report each year to the Legislature, the Governor and the leadership at various state agencies. The annual report contains: 

• Statistics and findings on intimate partner violence-related deaths, 
• Policy and systems change recommendations generated by the team during the case review process, and 
• IPVDRT’s activities for the previous calendar year. 

Each year the Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team (IPVDRT) coordinator completes a process evaluation. This report details the year's case review process including the case data collection strategy, case review procedures, and adherence to the Team's statutory mandate.

The report also includes five appendices:

1. A selected literature review for intimate partner violence lethality risk factors
2. A list of common abbreviations and working definitions
3. The Team member case review feedback form
4. The statutory authority for the Team
5. The Team's Policies and Procedures

Intimate Partner Violence Death Review Team Members

The IPVDRT consists of appointed and invited members.

Appointed Members:

The IPVDRT consists of professionals from twelve areas who are appointed to the Team as guided by statute (NMSA §31-22-4.1). These experts assist with death reviews and provide recommendations for systems and policy improvement.

Invited Members:

The IPVDRT relies on an additional group of professionals to assist with death reviews and provide recommendations for systems and policy improvement. These professionals are invited members of the IPVDRT based on their unique expertise of domestic and sexual violence as it relates to their respective professions.

Invited members must speak with the Program Manager and sign the team's Confidentiality Agreement prior to attending their first meeting in order to participate in confidential death review sessions.

Data

County Profiles

The Team Coordinator and staff compile county profiles to assist team members during case reviews. County profiles provide information on population and demographics, crime statistics, medical service providers, and social service providers for each county.

Incident, Relationship and Person Characteristics

The Team reviews the facts and circumstances of each death related to intimate partner violence (IPV) in the state of New Mexico where documentation was available and prosecution completed. These charts summarize incident, relationship, and person characteristics from reviewed IPV-related homicide cases from 2010 to the most recently available year. Definitions are available here.