The first attempt in more than 20 years to build an understanding of rural crime on a national scale has been launched by UNE’s Centre for Rural Criminology.
The Centre’s 2023 Australian Farm Crime Survey asks landholders to detail their experiences of rural crime, and seeks opinions about the effectiveness of crime prevention.
The survey seeks to gain a better understanding of the climbing rate of rural crime from the perspective of farmers and landholders.
This national survey follows the Centre’s 2020 New South Wales Farm Crime Survey, the results of which had far-ranging impacts on policing of rural crime in the State.
Among other issues, the NSW survey highlighted farmers’ frustration at their inability to monitor stock against theft. In response, UNE supported a smart tag trial that proved that following a theft, stock could be successfully tracked by police.
The Centre’s co-director, Dr. Kyle Mulrooney, says in order to combat farm crime, police and policymakers need better information from those involved in farming.
“Increasing the capacity to fight farm crime is crucial,” Dr Mulrooney says.
“This survey puts the farmers’ voice front and centre, allowing us to gain a better understanding of the scope of the problem, as well as find out what measures might be taken by the Government, police, farmers and rural communities to reduce farm crime across Australia.”
Survey responses will be used to inform future crime prevention measures.
The national survey will seek perspectives from landholders large and small, from across Australia. The information will be used to build an understanding of landholder attitudes towards current policing and justice system responses to rural crime, which may eventually inform future crime prevention measures.