| Summary: | The research involved combining data from four separate sources to create one large dataset. These sources were the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) (2014/15-2015/16), Understanding Society (2010-2015), the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2010) and the UK Census (2011). This provided us with a detailed picture of individuals, households and areas. The CSEW asks people about their experiences of crime and ASB, which captures incidents which are not reported to, or recorded by, the police/other agencies. Understanding Society is a longitudinal survey of households in the UK and we focused upon the ‘local neighbourhood’ data. The Index of Multiple Deprivation provides data on relative deprivation across various domains. The UK Census provides a comprehensive snapshot of population characteristics. The four datasets were linked at the Lower Super Output Area (LSOA). As a result, the data files are only accessible via the UK Data Service Secure Lab and are therefore not available to download. In a climate of diminishing budgets, falling police officer numbers and a growing number of calls related to "public safety and welfare"(College of Policing, 2015) senior police officers have highlighted the need to manage crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) differently (Thornton, 2015; Habgood, 2015). Research conducted by HouseMark suggests that the cost of tackling ASB to UK social landlords alone was approximately £295 million in 2012/13 (Wickenden, 2014). With this in mind, the primary research focus was to establish: Who experiences or witnesses ASB and in what context? A number of police forces have received criticism for their lack of understanding in relation to the intensity of harm to communities and vulnerable individuals caused by ASB (HMIC, 2010). The study addresses this gap in knowledge by providing a more comprehensive understanding of ASB victims, harm and vulnerability. It draws on data from four sources: Understanding Society, the Crime Survey for England and Wales, the UK Census and the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Collectively, this dataset builds a comprehensive picture of the individuals, households and areas most likely to experience: high prevalence of ASB; a strong link between ASB and crime victimisation; severe impact of ASB victimisation on quality of life and daily routine; and high levels of dissatisfaction with response to ASB. The research constitutes the most comprehensive study of the relationship between victim and neighbourhood characteristics to date, including deprivation, community cohesion and trust. The research has real potential to inform policy and practice, including resource allocation (e.g. patrolling strategies), planning policy, victim assistance, the design of the built environment and wider interventions to address ASB. The ability to provide a more effective response to ASB is particularly important at a time when budgets are being drastically reduced.
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