Identifying Priority Neighbourhoods Using the Vulnerable Localities Index

Abstract

The growth of the intelligence-led paradigm in policing and crime reduction partnerships has also called for the need to develop analytical techniques that can aid the development of neighbourhood-level intelligence. A technique that has generated increasing interest in England and Wales to help identify neighbourhoods that require prioritised attention is the Vulnerable Localities Index (VLI). This is a composite measure that is calculated using six variables. The VLI aids the systematic identification of priority neighbourhoods, using a methodology that can be applied in any part of England and Wales (regardless of differences in crime levels), and at any level of geographic scale. It has been pilot tested across eight sites and is gaining particular interest in aiding neighbourhood policing and partnership intelligence requirements. This paper describes the background to the VLI, the criteria that were considered to help identify suitable variables, and the methodology for combining the variables to form a single composite index. This is illustrated with data from Middlesbrough which is then used to demonstrate the VLI's use in practice, illustrating how the Safer Middlesbrough Partnership has used the VLI to support partnership intelligence. Language: en