A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Relationship Between Community Cohesiveness and Rural Crime

This partnership project with Dr Patrick Jobes of the School of Social Science at UNE and Dr Joseph Donnermeyer from the Ohio State University in the USA, examined crime rates and Census data across 122 local government areas in New South Wales. A clear relationship was found between crime rates and a number of demographic measures of community cohesion and integration. Qualitative research carried out in four case study communities provided further validation of this relationship.

The reports from this project are available by contacting the Institute. Part 1 includes a multivariate analysis of recorded crime data and 1996 Census data and the development of a typology of rural communities and crime. Three measures of social disorganisation are compared across this typology. Part 2 contains the findings of case studies of four rural communities, including interviews with rural residents and service providers.

Related publications

Final Report - Part 1
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Final Report - Part 2
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Completed in 2000

Funded by: Criminology Research Council

Partners: Professor Joseph Donnermeyer, Ohio State University

Contact: The Institute for Rural Futures