The results are in for the Scottish Rural Crime Survey

Crime has always been a key issue throughout the countryside, but this has only risen up the national agenda over the last few years, thanks to a growing awareness of the problems rural communities are facing. However, this increased awareness is often not felt by the communities that live and work in the Scottish countryside, with 32% of people who responded to our 2020 Rural Crime Survey telling us they don't think the police take rural crime seriously and 32% said that they have had a crime committed against them in the last 12 months.

The implication of these findings is that we have a rural population simply putting up with the crime they experience and making do as best they can. There is often no escape from the effects of rural crime, with the fear of crime doing just as much damage as the crimes that are committed.

According to the survey, the crimes which were recorded as the most frequently committed in rural areas were fly-tipping, agricultural machinery theft and trespass [trespass is not in itself criminal unless aggravated], with respondents wanting the police to prioritise tackling these crimes.

Additionally, the results show that there is a serious problem of crime being underreported in rural areas, with one in four not reporting crime they were a victim of. Those surveyed felt it was either a waste of time to report it or that the police would not be able to do anything. This is why 32% of people perceive the police take rural crime seriously.

It is clear from these results that crime remains a serious issue for those who and live in the countryside. Rural communities have a key role to play to ensure that authorities are fully aware of the problem. This means that rural communities must report every rural crime. Only with access to full the picture can we work together to stamp out crime in the countryside.

You can read the full survey results and our recommendations here, in our full report.