Farmer attitudes to crime, justice and policing in rural Victoria, Australia

• In Event: Farm crime victimization: a global perspective

Abstract

Recognising that the impacts of acquisitive crime on farms are both economic and social, the Victorian Farm Crime Research Project is an ongoing endeavour to examine farm crime in Victoria. Specifically, the Project is considering attitudes of farmers and farming communities to criminal justice responses to farm crime; assessing existing policing practices and analysing alternatives; and determining a suite of strategies for prevention and control of crime against farms and for improvement of service delivery by the criminal justice system in Victoria.
 
A quantitative survey of Victorian farmers was conducted between August 2017 and November 2018, with responses received both online and via hardcopy surveys returned. The survey sought information from farmers on experiences of farm crime, perceptions of crime and justice in rural Victorian settings, reasons for reluctance to report farm crime, attitudes to police and policing, and around crime prevention behaviours.
 
Specifically, this paper reports on and assesses results from the survey, providing results of parametric testing on a series of Likert scale questions which enable a comparative analysis of farmer concerns about crime and victimisation. 

Authors

• Jo-ann Larkins, Federation University Australia

• Alistair Harkness, Federation University Australia

• Kerry de Vent, Federation University