National Farm Crime Victimisation Survey
Anecdotal evidence suggests that stock and theft of farm equipment are significant problems for rural Australians. However the extent of crime against Australian farmers was previously unknown. To identify the scope of the problem, the Australian Government, through its National Crime Prevention Programme provided almost half a million dollars to fund the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) to undertake a series of surveys to assist the development of effective crime prevention strategies.
The first and second year research built on a National Farm Survey distributed in 2001 and 2002 by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE). The third year survey undertaken in October/November 2003 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, was followed up with fieldwork undertaken by the AIC in three locations in each of Queensland and Western Australia during December 2003.
The 2000/01 and 2001/02 surveys measured the prevalence and incidence of such crimes as livestock theft, theft of farm machinery, tools, materials or produce, theft of parts from farm vehicles or machinery, and damage to farm property (including arson).
The 2002/03 survey provided further information on the victimisation of Australian farms and included research on crime prevention strategies farmers may undertake to protect their homes and business.
A summary of findings from the first and second year surveys have been released in the following Trends and Issues papers produced by the AIC.
- No. 235: Farm Victimisation in Australia.
- No. 266: Results from the 2001-2002 National Farm Crime Survey
- No. 268: Preventing crime on Australian farms: issues, current initiatives and future directions.
These can be found on the AIC website at www.aic.gov.au.
Two publications summarising the findings of the research and suggesting ways in which farmers might secure their property (Crime Prevention for Farms), were published by the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department and are available through this website.