Purpose – The paper aims to investigate the effect of GDP growth on crime and to test the hypothesis ofnonlinearity. Additionally, we estimate the interaction between GDP and income inequality and examine itsimpact on the relationship between GDP and homicide rates.Design/methodology/approach – The study utilizes panel data from the Organization for EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD), spanning the period from 2000 to 2018 and estimates dynamic panelGMM models.Findings – We found a nonlinear relationship between GDP and homicide rates, indicating a dual effect ofGDP on the occurrence of lethal crimes. Moreover, income inequality conditions the effect of GDP onhomicide rates, exerting a significant influence. We conclude that in contexts characterized by high levelsof income inequality, GDP growth is more effective in reducing crime, as there is greater potential forimprovement.Originality/value – This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into the complexnonlinearity between economic conditions, income inequality and homicide rates.

This chapter reports the results of two independent and non-identical surveys: one in Sweden and the other in India. They show unique evidence of women’s transit safety in rural contexts. While safety concerns can differ based on the particular location and its distinct features, the real-life experiences of women documented here offer fresh perspectives on their victimisation patterns and safety perceptions in rural areas. These insights can contribute to international scholarship aimed at enhancing understanding of women’s safety in these two distinct contexts.

This chapter reports on findings of two small sample surveys covering aspects of crime, safety and crime prevention practices in rural areas in Brazil. The first survey targeted the entire population of a small rural municipality in Minas Gerais state while the second one is a convenience sample of farmers across the country. The chapter provides a glimpse of the most pressing safety issues and calls for further research to unravel the safety challenges faced by those living in rural areas in one of the largest countries in South America.

Using answers from two victimisation surveys, this chapter reports farmers’ experiences of victimisation and fear of crime in Sweden. Farmers can be exposed to various forms of crimes, some typically rural, from thefts (of machinery and fertilisers) and vandalism to threats and violence because of the activities they perform. Crime prevention practices as well as their confidence in the police are also discussed in the Swedish rural context. Based on responses from another survey, the chapter focuses on animal farmers (which are enterprises holding different types of animals for the production of food and derivates such as fur, skin, and medical products) directed to commercialisation. This group of farmers is of particular importance because they have become a target of harassment, assault and other types of crimes linked to animal rights activism. The chapter closes by making recommendations for both research and practice in the field of rural criminology.

Although the influence of the built environment on both crime and people’s safety perceptions is well documented in the international literature, less evidence is found regarding the link between urban safety perceptions and crime occurrence. In this article, we investigate the potential relationship between crime and visual perceived safety (VPS), using Stockholm, Sweden as a case. Central to the study is the VPS score, a detailed measure of VPS and situational fear, created by combining a deep learning model with a data set of local street view images and citizen impressions. We examine this measure together with traditional crime records to compare the city’s distribution of safety and crime. First, geographical patterns and spatial clusters of high and low levels of crime and VPS were detected. Then, drawing from principles of environmental criminology, a spatial regression was used to examine the relationship between the VPS score and crime, controlling for sociodemographics and land-use factors. Findings show that crime rates of different types are significant predictors of poor VPS, but mismatching geographies of perceived safety and crime are common. The article discusses the findings and finishes by highlighting the impact of these results for research and practice.

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.

This chapter maps the key issues identified in the 19 country studies outlined in earlier chapters and synthesise recommendations for both additional research and for policy and practice. A central aim of chapters in this volume has been two-fold: first, to produce empirical data on rural and farm crime internationally; and second, to improve conceptual and analytical frameworks to assess crime in rural settings – crime which is regularly stereotyped. Offered in this chapter is a road map for scholars seeking to expand on the research contained in this volume, and for practitioners keen to respond to crime and improve safety in rural areas. This chapter is structured around common issues, proposals for future research and recommendations for new policy and practice as well as reform.

Using 1281 pedestrian tunnels scattered over Stockholm, Sweden’s capital, we investigate the nature and distribution of graffiti in three types of underpasses (pathways, cycleways, and stairways). Combining crowdsourced data and police records, we compare graffiti levels and geography using fieldwork inspections, regression models, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The findings indicate that graffiti recorded to the police is present in only a quarter of the pedestrian tunnels, suggesting that recorded practices are concentrated in specific underpasses. Graffiti is more commonly found in larger tunnels, particularly cycling underpasses. Proximity to metro stations, schools, and the presence of young males in the area are factors linked to graffiti occurrence, although not consistently. These results highlight the complexities of relying on graffiti records for public space management, particularly the challenges professionals face in aligning the maintenance of pedestrian tunnels with urban sustainability goals.

This chapter reports on the conditions of victimisation among LGBTQI+ people with a focus on those living in rural areas of Poland and Sweden. The first section of this chapter consists of a brief literature overview of the factors that affect safety in rural areas and explains why safety among LGBTQI+ people is an important topic. Also discussed are LGBTQI+ people’s perceptions about changes in attitude towards queer people in rural and urban areas. This is followed by a discussion of the sources used in this chapter along with findings and conclusions.