The context of farm crime in Australia
In this article, the nature and extent of crime on farms in Australia is described, highlighting those crimes that are most prevalent, and how these events and their social impact are uniquely defined by the Australian context. The information is drawn from a series of studies of farm crime in Austr...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2018
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| In: |
Acta criminologica
Year: 2018, Volume: 31, Issue: 4, Pages: 23-40 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Keywords: |
| Summary: | In this article, the nature and extent of crime on farms in Australia is described, highlighting those crimes that are most prevalent, and how these events and their social impact are uniquely defined by the Australian context. The information is drawn from a series of studies of farm crime in Australia conducted since 1999 by the author that include surveys and interviews with farmers, agricultural industry representatives, and rural police. Routine Activity Theory proved to be a useful framework to explain patterns of crime on Australian farms. However, the theory failed to account for the social, cultural and historical factors that shape the structure of community life and the idiosyncratic ‘ways of doing things’ in rural Australia. These social and cultural factors can influence the motivation for offending and the way victims and their community experience and respond to crime. The studies revealed that in some highly cohesive farming communities, to preserve the unity of the community, some types of crime were allowed to persist and the reporting of such crimes to police was proscribed. Many victims of crime suffered in silence. Some victims were judged by the community to be deserving of their victimisation. It is likely that social norms and cultural practices may also define the hidden nature of farm victimisation within rural communities in other nations. |
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| ISSN: | 1012-8093 |