A View from the Frontline: Young People, Policing and Vulnerability

The topic of policing and vulnerability has grown significantly over the last 20 years; largely, in response to the realisation that most police encounters with the public are with vulnerable people. In this chapter, we break down a number of conceptualisations and understandings of vulnerability and bring them into the policing context. We address issues of group identity versus individual experiences of vulnerability and address the importance of procedural and trauma-informed practices in policing to address the safety, legal, and wellbeing rights of all vulnerable people in the policing process. In framing vulnerability within policing, this chapter provides some building blocks for vibrant conversations around how vulnerability can be taught, addressed in policing practice, and researched empirically.