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.

We utilised four existing data sources and accessed these via the UK Data Service Secure Lab. These were: the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW); the UK Census; the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD); and Understanding Society. Data from these sources were linked (via geographical identifiers under Special Licence conditions) to provide a detailed picture of individual-, household-, and area-level characteristics in England and Wales. There were a range of variables selected from each of the datasets. Data relating to individual and household characteristics (e.g. sex, ethnicity, marital status, household income, number of adults and children in the household etc.) as well as whether the respondent had experienced or witnessed anti-social behaviour was taken from the CSEW. Variables were also extracted from the CSEW ‘Anti-Social Behaviour module’ which collects information regarding the type of ASB experienced as well as (if applicable) frequency of victimisation, satisfaction with police response, impact on daily routine and quality of life. The CSEW is, by general agreement, the best victimisation data source in existence internationally. The survey has been conducted since 1982 and currently samples approximately 35,000 respondents each year. The CSEW uses a stratified multi-stage partially clustered cross-section sample design (TNS BMRB, 2014). Understanding Society is a longitudinal study of households in the UK with a representative sample of approximately 40,000 (reducing to around 30,000 when focusing on England and Wales). It began in 2009 building on the well-respected British Household Panel Survey. It gathers data from household members aged 10 and over on an annual basis and is the largest study of its kind in the world. In relation to adults, Understanding Society consists of a household questionnaire and an individual questionnaire (which includes a self-completion element). Variables (mean-aggregated to the Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level) relating to social cohesion were taken from this data source namely, neighbourhood closeness; willingness to help others; neighbourhood trust; and how well neighbours get along. In relation to the IMD, deprivation scores for each of the seven domains as well as the overarching relative deprivation ‘ranking’ were used. Finally, with regard the Census, a number of key statistics were extracted, namely religion, country of birth, national identity, social class, age, proportion of young people in the area and proportion of students in the area.