Chapter 1 Victimisation, safety and policing in areas on the rural-urban continuum : Aims, scope and structure

Abstract

Building on previous work in rural criminology, this book casts a global and comparative look across 19 countries, drawing on themes of crime and victimisation, safety and fear, practices of policing and police trust, and crime prevention practices. Combining reports on survey findings, country case studies, and crosscutting analyses, "Crime, Peoples and Places" offers empirical, theoretical, and policy-oriented contributions to the field of rural criminology, adopting the notion of a rural-urban continuum that captures the nuances of places of varied nature, spanning from remote and desolate spaces to accessible and connected environments of the urban fringe. The book examines the challenges of areas on the rural-urban continuum that are in constant transformation, given local and global influences, including the most recent developments in countries of the Global South. It identifies commonalities and disparities between different country cases, draws conclusions over global evidence, and highlights how partnerships, collaboration, and unity in crime prevention action can yield dividends for all people, regardless of age, gender, or whether they live in urban or rural areas.