Wales-wide rural crime survey launched
A new Wales-wide survey on the impact of farm and rural crime has been launched by Aberystwyth University.
Conducted in collaboration with all four Welsh police forces, it will build on previous surveys carried out since 2017, which have led to changes in how Dyfed-Powys is policed.
This latest study aims to assess progress made in addressing community perceptions of farm and rural crime.
The survey is open to both farmers and rural residents and will revisits the main issues raised in previous surveys to assess the effectiveness of interventions and the opinions of stakeholders.
Academic research
The findings will inform police, farmers and rural communities, while also contributing to academic research.
The survey is divided into four key sections, farm theft and damage, crime in your area, wildlife and environment and the impact of crime on people and well-being
Dr Wyn Morris from Aberystwyth Business School said: “This survey provides a crucial opportunity to understand how far Wales has come in tackling farm and rural crime. By examining the findings alongside previous surveys, it will highlight what’s working, assess the impact of interventions, identify ongoing challenges and inform the best ways to support rural communities in the future.”
Dr Gareth Norris from the Department of Psychology added: “Rural crime affects people’s sense of safety and wellbeing as much as it affects property. This new Rural Crime Survey will provide insights into the impact of measures taken to support communities at risk and ensure that the voices of farmers and rural residents are heard and reflected in shaping future support and policing strategies.”
‘Effective policing’
Dafydd Llywelyn, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, commented: “We understand how deeply rural crime can affect those directly targeted and understanding the needs of our rural communities remains essential to delivering effective policing across the Dyfed-Powys area.
“This survey is an important opportunity for people to share their experiences and have their say by completing the survey, and I urge residents to take a few minutes to complete the survey.”
The survey can be completed anonymously online in either English or Welsh .
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It’s not even worth doing, the police hardly ever turn up anyway and even when they do you don’t see any real investigation unless you basically hand everything to them on a silver platter (and even then… can they be bothered with the paperwork…). This is just more money being wasted that could be put to better use on front line resources and police actually doing the job the public expect them to be doing. The last time I saw a police officer walking the streets was about 15 years ago and yes that kind of thing matters. But no,… Read more »