Crime on farms can have devastating effects on farmers and their families —financial, psychological and social. Crime can also have national implications, too, if it disrupts or damages farm production.

But too often, farm crime is considered "just a rural issue", something out of sight and mind.

This is why the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England launched a crime survey of farmers last year in New South Wales. We wanted to gain a better understanding of the often hidden dimensions of crime in rural areas to inform decision-making by government, police, farmers and other organisations.

Conventional criminology has long suggested that crime is, in essence, an urban phenomenon and that denser settlements are more crime prone. If this misnomer is taken at face value, ipso facto there are less rural victims. The reliability of this assumption is questionable when considering the challenges inherent in measuring and researching rural victimisation. This chapter provides an assessment of the issues surrounding the accurate measurement of rural victimisation, including problems with non-reporting, under-reporting and under policing evident in some rural communities and the use of police discretion in the context of high acquaintance density. It also contemplates the key considerations and challenges of researching rural victimisation. Suggested approaches to improve research with rural victims are made to optimise their involvement and to maximise the outcomes and impacts.

Purpose –This article examines challenges and strategies related to police relationships and engagement with rural communities in England and Wales, Australia and France. It aims to bridge a gap in knowledge around how police balance public demands with organisational and contextual constraints, exploring the role of communication technology in overcoming geographical and cultural barriers in rural policing.

Design/methodology/approach – The research draws upon 121 semi-structured interviews conducted across three distinct jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom and Australia, interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, while face-to-face interviews were conducted in France. Participants were recruited through the purposive sampling of police working in rural areas. The data were thematically analysed using NVivo Software.

Findings – Rural communities have low expectations of policing services, a consequence of geography, organisational structures and limited resource allocation. Building relationships can be challenging owing to isolation and terrain, the need for officers to have local and cultural knowledge, and difficulties in recruiting officers in rural posts. Technology-mediated communication has played a part in the solutions (e.g. social media). However, this may not always be suitable owing to limited connectivity, citizen and police preferences for communication and engagement, and the institutional and cultural nuances surrounding the application of technology.

Originality/value – This article provides empirical insights into the attitudes and experiences of rural police officers, highlighting the distinctive policing context and engagement needs of rural communities. The research underscores the necessity for contextually aware engagement. It suggests that while technologymediated communication offers some solutions to spatial challenges, its effectiveness may be limited by access, generational preferences and the adaptability of police institutions and cultures.

Crime victimisation amongst farmers is extremely high, particularly for property and acquisitive crimes. The NSW Farm Crime Survey conducted in 2020 found that 80 percent of farmers have been a victim of farm crime over their lifetime.

One of the most common crimes farmers and landholders experience is the theft of stock: 44 percent of those responding to the Survey had experienced stock theft.

There exist significant psychological and financial impacts of crime on Australian farmers and other rural property owners individually – and there are direct and broader social and economic implications which can impact the entire rural community and the wider agricultural industry (McCall, 2003).