Crime and safety in rural Wales

Rural and farm crime has attracted increased attention in research and wider policy discussions, some of which has stemmed from renewed interest in issues such as food security, and the uptake in the tourism and leisure industry. The current research surveyed 134 farmers and rural residents across Wales, UK, to ascertain their views on the nature and extent of crime and equally whether police responses and strategies were having an impact. Generally, although rural and farm related crime was seen to be on the increase, most respondents reported a good relationship with the police. However, there was some despondence with response times and follow-up procedures, alongside a poor perception in terms of successful prosecutions. Innovative and community building initiatives such as the use of social media and rural crime forums were seen as a useful capacity building venture to address the increasing risk of victimisation. Some methodological issues in terms of heterogenous locations and rural vs. farm crime are addressed in terms of understanding the future of policing these activities.