Stock theft alone costs NSW farmers about $60 million a year, according to the most comprehensive picture of rural crime in NSW ever compiled.
Released today, the UNE Centre for Rural Criminology's NSW Farm Crime Survey 2020 found that NSW farmers experience high levels of "crime victimisation", and that farmers' desire for better policing and justice is correspondingly high.
The report provides a list of recommendations for addressing a largely hidden but costly form of crime.
Some of the report's findings, like the startling fact that 81% of the State's farmers have been a victim of crime, have already been released.
"The full report puts the previous data into context and provides a basis for action," said Rural Criminology Co-director Dr Kyle Mulrooney.
"All the issues identified in the report will be followed up through research that will aim to deliver tangible results."
"Our researchers are investigating physical solutions, like tracking tags, and larger policy questions, like rural policing in Australia and globally."
"The Centre's work on farm crime is much broader than the survey. We want our work to inform policing and policy and make a real impact on the troubling statistics we've highlighted in our report."
The Centre's reporting of some of the early statistics that emerged from the survey drew widespread interest. "It put rural crime on the national radar," Dr Mulrooney said.
Living on a remote farm is no guarantee of peace, the survey found. Of the 81% of landowners who had been victims of crime, 88% reported more than two crimes and 36% reported more than seven. Nearly two-thirds of farmers worry about crime.
As its findings emerged, the Centre has formed a strong relationship with the NSW Rural Crime Prevention team (RCPT), provided advice to the New Zealand and South Australian police forces, and worked with Crime Stoppers.
With the Centre's statistics, the NSW Police and Crime Stoppers launched the "draw the line on rural crime" campaign earlier this year.
The full report on the NSW Farm Crime Survey positions the headline statistics within the bigger picture, like the emotional toll of crime on farmers, and their thoughts on rural policing and justice.
“The data indicates that new policing initiatives are having an impact on farm crime as we see increases in farmer satisfaction with police and in reporting crime when engaging with the RCPT” said Dr Mulrooney
The survey also looks at an array of solutions that in combination, could help dramatically improve the incidence of farm crime, and the responses to it when it occurs.
A series of recommendation are provided under the broad headings of "Invest in and resource the Rural Crime Prevention Team", "Invest in and resource farmers", and "Increase wider social awareness".
The full report can be viewed here
