Rural Crime Research Articles

Rejoinder to Book Review of "Rural Transformations and Rural Crime"

A review of a book we edited, Rural Transformations and Rural Crime (Bowden & Harkness, 2022) was published in Volume 32, Issue 3 of Rural Society (Scott, 2023) in December 2023. The review makes two key but highly misleading charges. The first is an intimation that rural criminology is dominated by a clique of scholars; and second that the book by and large lacks critical analysis to the reviewer’s liking. The reviewer provides a glimpse of a broad analysis of the field and adopts an independently minded position. Indeed, some observations and claims are made that should rightly be part of a wider debate in criminology, about the book’s relevance, and its impact and contribution to the social sciences: legitimate and important questions that ought to be addressed. However, a few errors in the review need to be corrected and cannot go unchallenged.

Stumbling from Correctional Walls to Rural Halls: A Unique Journey from Farming and Corrections to Academia in Rural Crime and Livestock Theft

No abstract available.

“Johnny Come Lately” – An Essay on Latter-Day Myths about Rural Crime and Justice Studies

“Johnny Come Lately” is a colloquialism with roots backs to nineteenth century British maritime days. It is used here to illustrate the recent emergence of new myths about rural crime and justice studies. As rural crime and justice studies have emerged and grown over the previous 50-plus years, a number of scholars have discussed and debunked myths about crime and rurality, but unfortunately, new falsehoods have been purposively created of late. In this paper, each latter-day myth is described, debunked and then transformed into positive directives about the future of rural crime and justice studies, following the example set by Ceccato and Abraham (2022). These positives include: (1) there must be a sustained effort to make the location for rural crime studies and the scholars who do the research and theorizing ever more diverse; (2) rural crime studies, both old and new, must be made more easily accessible to this generation and future generations of scholars, practitioners and policy-makers alike; (3) rural crime studies must continue to improve theoretical sophistication through application, critique, and revision, and through theoretical interpretation of previously published empirical work; and (4) a thorough synthesis of the rural crime and justice studies literature is imperative to its future development.

Drilling Down for Answers: Unmasking the Impact of Oil and Natural Gas Activity on Crime Rates in Texas

This article delves into the impact of oil and natural gas (ONG) production on the incidence of Part I violent crimes in Texas. Texas holds a prominent position in the energy industry, contributing to 43% of the nation's crude oil production and 26% of its natural gas production (EIA, 2021). However, alongside ONG operations come significant societal changes, including a rise in various social issues, including criminal activities. While prior research has explored the consequences of ONG-related transformations on crime rates through perceptual and economic studies, there is a scarcity of studies that investigate the intricate relationship between ONG activities and crime patterns, particularly in the Texan context. To bridge this research gap, this study employs residual change scores and multiple linear regression techniques to scrutinize county-level shifts in ONG activity and Part I violent crime incidents during the period spanning 2009 to 2019 across Texas ONG-producing counties. The findings derived from this investigation unveil a noteworthy association between six dynamic ONG measures and the alteration in specific known Part I violent crimes. This study makes a noteworthy contribution to the existing body of knowledge concerning rural crime and boomtown dynamics as it stands as the inaugural examination utilizing residual change score analysis to determine whether ONG activity indeed contributes to any variations in known Part I violent crime rates. By scrutinizing the intricate connection between energy production and crime, this research aids in fostering a better understanding of the social implications of ONG activities in resource-rich regions, particularly within Texas.

A Nineteenth Century Rural Crime in Western Queensland?

In August 1895, Andrew Barton “Banjo” Paterson was visiting his fiancée at Dagworth Station near Winton in western Queensland, Australia, when he was moved to write a bush ballad that became more prominent than even he might have expected. The question arises as to what was or were the circumstances or events that stimulated the creative mind of Paterson to write such a spirited ballad. A rural crime was certainly committed down by the billabong in the ballad, but there were real events playing out throughout the western sheep grazing country of Queensland at that time and had been for some years. This research note argues that, in identifying crimes, we can observe a dichotomy of opposites with some boundaries being contained, while others are large and fluid. Each have a particular fragility as well as a strength. Contained boundaries have a placement that has strength, but vulnerability to encroachment by powerful forces: the need to protect is ever present. It is also argued that this ballad, which contextualises a rural crime, serves as an allegory symbolising a sense of injustice, of resistance against injustice and excessive use of power.

‘Resources and energy development’: An International Society for the Study of Rural Crime Roundtable

No abstract available.

Determinants and impacts of rural crime victimization: Evidence from a case study in Southeast Asia

We use a panel dataset of around 3500 rural households from Southeast Asia and investigate evidence on crime victimization. More concretely, we ask (1) to what extent are rural people affected by crime? (2) What factors determine rural crime victimization? And (3) what are the impacts of crime victimization on welfare of rural households? We use the routine activity approach as the theoretical framework and apply different logit models to identify determinants of crime victimization. We find that 5.46% of the rural households have been victimized, mainly by theft, over the last 12 months, some of them even more than once. Living in a rural region with higher levels of inequality is positively correlated with the likelihood of theft victimization. Households with higher levels of crop commercialization are associated with a higher victimization risk, while households with more livestock and being more specialized in specific livestock species are associated with a lower risk. Moreover, past victimization and exposure to weather shocks are positively associated with the likelihood of being affected by crime. With respect to the impacts, we use the heteroscedasticity-based instrumental variable approach to account for endogeneity and find highly significant negative effects of agricultural theft victimization on food consumption and child health outcomes. We conclude that rural crime requires attention although overall incidence is low in rural Thailand and Vietnam. Guardianship should be promoted, especially in times of weather shocks. Finally, reducing inequality helps preventing theft.

Dynamics of Rural Crime in South Asia: A Criminological Overview

Rural crime in South Asia involves varied and complex issues influenced by various socio-economic, cultural, and political factors of the region. While there are some common types of crime in the rural areas in south Asia, different regions are prone to different kinds of crime. It is because these regions share some common and some unique characteristics. Similarly, there are some shared and unique approaches for addressing the issues related rural crime and ensuring justice. This study, based on a review of existing criminological literature, explores the dynamics of rural crime in the region from a criminological lens. The outcomes of the study will serve the policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and community leaders to address the rural crime and justice issues in the region.

AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF FAO’s INTERVENTION TO EMPOWER VULNERABLE YOUTH FOR BUILDING PEACE AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN KENEMA DISTRICT, SIERRA LEONE

This paper presents an initial assessment of youth vulnerability to violence and crime, and the Food and Agricultural Organization's intervention in empowering them as agents of peacebuilding and fostering community resilience in Kenema District, Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Given the high susceptibility of at-risk youth to violence and crime, their empowerment is crucial for peace and security in Sierra Leone. The study employed qualitative methods, including desk review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions with stakeholders in visited communities. Despite some challenges, such as procurement delays, the FAO's contribution proved relevant, effective, and impactful. Through training, skills development, decision-making strategies, and provision of agricultural tools, equipment, and mentorship, young men and women were empowered to enhance social cohesion, contribute to peace building, and bolster community resilience. The paper also highlights FAO's role in facilitating the reintegration of at-risk youth into their families and communities, aiding their transition to adulthood. Despite challenges, the project aligned with national and local priorities, effectively reduced rural crime and violence, and empowered youth to participate in decision-making processes, promote social cohesion, and support community resilience initiatives.

The victimization of community members in the realm of traditional leaders at OR Tambo District Municipality, South Africa

Within the largely rural OR Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM), a significant number of community members continue to experience victimization annually. Crime continues to be a persistent issue for both individuals and society at large, with no resolution or justice achieved in its wake. The prevalence of crime in society significantly impacts individuals' behavior, residential choices, and decisions regarding their social activities, including the selection of locations and timing. Typically, individuals tend to experience an increase in fear of becoming a victim of crime, rather than a decrease. This article is characterized by its qualitative approach and use non-probability sampling methodologies. The study aimed to investigate the involvement of traditional leaders in safeguarding women, children, and the elderly from being victimized within the ORTDM community, encompassing the local municipalities of KSD, Ingquza Hill, Mhlontlo, Nyandeni, and Port St. Johns. The primary objective of this discussion paper was to ascertain the specific categories of criminal activities occurring within the territories governed by traditional leaders. This study further demonstrates the significance of examining rural crime and uncovers obstacles that hinder crime prevention in the ORDM. Fifty-eight traditional leaders were interviewed as crucial informants and custodians of the customs of different groups. Traditional leaders, research participants, and community members shared accounts of rape and murder during Imbizos. These incidents involved school-going youngsters and older individuals, including those as old as 95 years. A number of individuals in the neighborhood had paralysis, while others were deprived of their retirement benefits. Traditional leaders argue that, despite this circumstance, the criminal justice system does not give priority to the rights of the victims. The findings together indicate that traditional leaders are involved in the creation, implementation, and monitoring of crime prevention strategies. Nevertheless, the absence of financial support from the government hinders the implementation of crime prevention activities within its jurisdiction. The analysis confirms that crime prevention is an enduring objective. Investing in traditional leaders has the potential to enhance the overall societal well-being.

Rural Transformations and Rural Crime: International Critical Perspectives in Rural Criminology. Edited by Matt Bowden and Alistair Harkness (Bristol, UK: Bristol University Press, 2022, 209 pp. £85.00 hbk)

Rural Transformations and Rural Crime: International Critical Perspectives in Rural Criminology. Edited by Matt Bowden and Alistair Harkness (Bristol, UK: Bristol University Press, 2022, 209 pp. £85.00 hbk)

Policing Rural Crimes and Rural Communities in England

This article examines factors that influence the processes and practices of crime prevention and investigation in rural areas of England. Whilst evidence shows that rural crime is a significant problem, there has been hitherto a dearth of research into how the issue is policed. Drawing on the perspectives of police personnel, this article examines the features of the rural environment and the organisation and management of police services that influence the delivery of police work in rural areas of England. Specifically, the article considers factors that influence the reporting and subsequent recording of rural crimes; how police officers understand and perceive rural crimes; how police services prioritise crimes for preventative and investigative purposes; how responsibility for investigating rural crimes is diffused across law enforcement agencies and how this can cause confusion for officers; matters related to the generation of evidence; officer understanding of the legislation regarding rural crime; the willingness of officers to undertake the investigation of rural crimes and the reluctance of some to live in the countryside; and the organisation and management of police resources in rural areas. In so doing, it sets out the reasons why the policing of rural spaces is distinctive and considers implications for police work and its outcomes.

A Baker's Dozen Significant Books about Rural Crime in the Twenty-First Century

Most of us have heard of and likely voiced the phrase a ‘baker’s dozen’ to refer to adding an extra item to a group of twelve to make sure there are enough. This review essay will abide by this centuries-old tradition, however, out of a necessity rather than incarceration. There are now enough monographs and edited books about rural crime and criminal justice topics that selecting a trim ten, a lissome eleven or a svelte dozen is impossible. Yet, even with 13, as the reader of this review essay will discover, there are plenty more books that could easily qualify for the list. To show no disrespect for those tomes not mentioned in the main text of this highly personalized version (or perhaps, highly biased rendition is the more accurate phrase) of a baker’s dozen, the essay will conclude with a brief mention of the others.

From larceny and concealed births, to indecent assault and attempted suicide: An analysis of rural crimes committed in three small Irish villages between 1941-1943

This article explores an under-researched area within Irish criminology: rural crime during the 1940s. It analyses a volume of recorded rural crimes that were committed in an area encompassing three small Irish rural villages between the years 1941-1943. Set against the backdrop of World War II and Ireland’s state of emergency, many crimes committed were larceny, relatively minor in nature and related to “culprits” living in, or perhaps trying to survive the hardships of war, poverty and rationing. However, other crimes, such as embezzlement, indecent assault, concealment of birth, attempted suicide and sacrilege also feature within the volume. Examining these crimes provides a vignette into Ireland’s past, shining light on what Irish social life was like for some individuals and groups living through a state of emergency in a small rural area and in a society dominated by religiosity. Crime and sin were deeply intertwined at this time. The volume also provides some insight into the habitus of those who recorded the crimes: Gardaí who were exclusively male, predominantly Catholic and who policed with moral authority that was bestowed upon them by State and Church.

Policing Rural Crime: The Case of the NSW Police Force Rural Crime Prevention Team

The NSW Police Force Rural Crime Prevention Team (RCPT) was created to prevent, disrupt, and respond to crimes that impact specifically on the agricultural, pastoral and aquaculture industries. Since its inception in early 2018, the team has developed and delivered a number of novel and innovative policing initiatives which seek to make rural communities safer and increase their resilience. In this paper, we offer practical insights on a number of these developments. Specifically, we will examine innovations deployed in relation to rural policing across five key areas, including 1) investigating rural crime within New South Wales and identifying interstate links and trends; 2) identifying inhibitors within legislation and policy impacting the ability of Law Enforcement Agencies to prevent, disrupt and respond to rural crime; 3) enhancing the education and knowledge of Law Enforcement Officers regarding rural crime; 4) raising the public awareness of rural crime and increasing community engagement with relevant stakeholders within rural communities and industries; and, finally, 5) collaborating and engaging with academic research/higher education toward the shared goal of safe rural spaces. We conclude the paper by discussing these practical developments in the context of farm crime research and, more specifically, how these collective efforts may serve to address established limitations and gaps in the policing and prevention of crime in rural spaces.

'Policing Rural Communities in North America': An International Society for the Study of Rural Crime Roundtable

Rural crime and criminal justice practices and responses face different challenges from those experienced in urban contexts. A practitioner-focused roundtable, convened by The International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (www.issrc.net), investigated challenges and innovations in international contexts on issues surrounding rural policing with a specific focus on rural policing in Canada and the United States. The roundtable was held online on 15 September 2021 and was moderated by Dr. Jessica Peterson, formerly of the University of Nebraska at Kearney (now an Assistant Professor at Southern Oregon University). Panellists were asked to respond to three key questions: What is the key element to successful community policing in your community? What is one initiative in which you have successfully engaged the community in crime-reduction efforts? What is the most significant challenge to successfully reducing crime in your community? The following are transcripts of the four presentations from the panelists on this Roundtable.

Farm Crime Victimisation and Prevention Decision Making: Can insights from England and Wales inform the Baltic Sea Region?

Farms in England and Wales continue to have low levels of crime prevention measures in use despite the increasing threat, and what is used is often ineffective. Farm crime in England and Wales is becoming increasingly organised in its nature, as such farmers are having to deal with both the ever-present threat of opportunistic thefts, but also the broadening impact of Organised Criminal Groups in the rural space. As a result of this change, farmers are very much being left on the back foot in being able to protect themselves adequately. They are no longer just facing traditional thefts, but other crime types that are now significantly challenging traditional crime prevention theories such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) often favoured by police forces in England and Wales. Such crimes include hare coursing as a sport, agrochemical theft and counterfeiting, and forced labour within the agricultural sector. As a direct result of this, farmers are finding themselves under much more significant pressure from criminality in the rural space. Crime is increasingly challenging farmer ontological security, and thus their ability to make effective decisions both around crime prevention but also general business decision-making. This coupled with an inability to protect their farm using traditional crime prevention methods may potentially have a negative impact on farmer mental health, and this should be discussed among rural crime researchers and practitioners to ensure that the wider impact is clearly understood. This position seen within England and Wales will be briefly reviewed and compared in relation to the experiences noted in the academic research being conducted across the Baltic Sea region to establish any potential similarities in patterns, and whether any learning can be taken from the situation being experienced in England and Wales.

Getting Jumped in Vacationland: the Complicated Rhetoric and Realities of Assault in a Small Town

Crime research often fails to recognize the context of small-town crime as meaningfully different from urban and rural crime contexts. Furthermore, non-urban spaces serve as the symbolic counterpoint to problematized urban areas. Even now, research fails to provide the detail and nuance needed to explain how complex local perceptions of small-town crime disprove the monolithic assumption of idyllic small towns. This study interrogates the disconnections between the realities of assault in a small town and the rhetorical constructions of perceived offenders. We analyze available police report data from the town of Sandusky, Ohio, comparing it with local social media commentary to identify and explain gaps between the reported incidence of assault and related perception and rhetoric among area residents. We find that area residents construct their town as violent, crime-ridden, and beyond hope. Discourses surrounding reports of violence reinforce cynicism, assign blame, and rely on race, youth, and poverty tropes. This study constitutes a divergence from previous crime literature that considers small towns as generally less prone to violent crime than big cities and treats public perception of small towns as positive overall. We contribute important axes for comparison between institutional and locally constructed rhetorical spaces and address localized anomic perspectives on small-town crime.

Farm Crime and Farmer-Police Relationships in Rural Australia

This article presents select findings from ‘farm crime’ victimisation surveys undertaken in the two most populous Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria. We examine the findings in relation to farmer crime victimisation, their willingness to report crime, and their worry about crime, as well as farmer perspectives on policing generally and the policing of farm crime specifically. In both states, there are high levels of victimisation, high levels of worry, low- to mid-levels of confidence in the police, and there remains a gap between experiences of farm crime and reporting. Both states have police tasked specifically with addressing farm crime. The Victoria Police have Farm Crime Liaison Officers that specialise in assisting with farm related crimes, however this is a voluntary role which forms part of an officer’s larger workload. By contrast, the New South Wales Police Force Rural Crime Prevention Team is a dedicated team consisting of specialised rural crime investigators and intelligence practitioners focused on proactive and preventative interventions in farm crime. Farmers in both states were surveyed regarding their awareness and engagement with these rural policing teams, and we examined how this may shape victimisation, reporting, worry and the relationships between police and farmers. In New South Wales, awareness and direct contact with rural crime police led to both increased satisfaction with police and crime reporting. Respondents with awareness of this team also express significantly less worry of crime, whilst those with direct contact did not. We conclude the article by discussing and contextualising these findings within rural criminology and considering ways forward for the policing of farm crime.

‘Policing Rural Communities’: An International Society for the Study of Rural Crime Roundtable

Rural crime and criminal justice practices and responses face different challenges from those experienced in urban contexts. A practitioner-focused roundtable, convened by The International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (www.issrc.net), investigated challenges and innovations in international contexts on issues surrounding rural policing. The roundtable was held online on 20 October 2020 and was moderated by Dr Jessica Peterson, formerly of the University of Nebraska at Kearney (now an Assistant Professor at Southern Oregon University). Panellists were asked to respond to two key questions: What are the key challenges for rural policing? What innovations are being deployed internationally to address these challenges? The following are transcripts of the four presentations from the panelists on this Roundtable.