Digital components of rural prisoner re-entry

/in , , , , /by

This is the fourth post in a series of short topic snapshots, prepared by Joseph Loades, a research student with the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England.

 

Individual intervention and social support are a crucial components of prisoner reentry. Prisoners within urban areas face many of the same issues that are faced within rural areas. However, the support services and agencies that are common in urban areas are generally not as plentiful in rural and remote settings. Therefore, case management for reentry into country areas should be tailored on individual needs, not support agencies.

White and Graham (2014) state that:

Reentry is a crucial point of intervention and support on the part of practitioners and agencies, but it is an even more fundamental transition for the offender and the communities they return to … Rehabilitation needs to focus on the whole person … In other words, the centre of attention should not be on this or that program or service, but on the individual who requires our assistance. (pp. 270-271)

Many prisoners returning to rural and remote settings have drug and alcohol disorders and addiction. In urban areas there are a variety of programs and interventions to guide prisoners through the reentry phase. However, rural areas have certain barriers that include a lack of drug and alcohol services and treatment facilities, staff with less experience and qualifications, spatial inequalities, poor infrastructure, and a lack of transport.

These social and economic boundaries can prevent ex-prisoners from addressing addiction and drug abuse, however, digital technology and telehealth services can now be used to alleviate this problem (Thomas et al., 2020).

Due to the geographical distances ex-prisoners need to travel to attend services, find employment, and create social bonds – which may help in their recovery process – the skills needed to use digital technology are necessary.

Digital technology serves more than one purpose concerning successful prisoner reentry. In a world that is increasingly digital, prisoners can be left behind with regard to finding work, finding accommodation, and a social network of friends (Zivanai, and Mahlangu, 2020). These examples are particularly true in the rural sense, due to spatial inequalities.

However, many prisoners have been left behind in this digital age, lacking the skills and the means to access digital software, and put them to use. It has been found that prisoners re-entering society generally rely on younger family members when using the internet, due to a ‘Rip-Van-Winkle like experience’ after a period of incarceration, and the lack of digital technology within prisons (Ogbonnaya-Ogburu et al., 2019).

Furthermore, most prisons do not run the programs that prepare inmates for their release into an increasingly digital world.

Ogbonnaya-Ogburu et al. (2019) study concluded that there is a desire by inmates to acquire the skills to use digital technology, and a need for research into the role that digital literacy plays within the process of successful reintegration.

Lack of technological skills are a major challenge of employability and social networking upon reintegration, and the lack of efforts to design and pilot prison-run programs that give prisoners the skills needed to use digital technology can affect successful reintegration into the rural setting.

(Images sourced from pixels.com)

 

References

Ogbonnaya-Ogburu, I. F., Toyama, K. & Dillahunt, T. R. (2019, May). Towards an effective digital literacy intervention to assist returning citizens with job search. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI conference on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 1-12). https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10283436

Thomas, N., Van de Ven, K. & Mulrooney, K. J. (2020). The impact of rurality on opioid-related harms: A systematic review of qualitative research. International Journal of Drug Policy, 85, 102607. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395919303147

White, R. & Graham, H. (2014). Working with offenders: A guide to the concepts and practices. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203810330/working-offenders-rob-white-hannah-graham

Zivanai, E. & Mahlangu, G. (2022). Digital prison rehabilitation and successful re-entry into a digital society: A systematic literature review on the new reality on prison rehabilitation. Cogent Social Sciences, 8(1), 2116809. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311886.2022.2116809

Access to justice in rural courts

/in , , /by

Here is the second blog post in a series of short topic snapshots, prepared by Joseph Loades, a research student with the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England.

 

Free Brown Wooden Gavel on Brown Wooden Table Stock PhotoThe access to justice has its issues in both urban and rural communities, however, rural communities suffer inequity at a higher rate. Two of the primary issues include the lack of lawyers and legal personnel that are willing to live in rural areas, and the lack of digital technology in many rural and remote jurisdictions.

Access to justice is a principle of the rule of law. The Department’s report (Australian Law Reform Commission, 2019) states:

‘Access to justice’ is an essential element of the rule of law. In essence, access to justice refers to the ‘affirmative steps’ necessary to ‘give practical content to the law’s guarantee of formal equality before the law’. It refers to the need to ameliorate or remove barriers to access and ‘must be defined in terms of ensuring that legal and judicial outcomes are just and equitable’. It is enshrined in part 14 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). (p. 319)

The barriers concerning access to justice of legal representation and proceedings in rural communities lack equity. The inequity regarding the access to legal representation, involves both the quantity and quality of representation. It has been shown that while the rural population expands, the number of legal practices in the community decreases, leaving an overall shortage of lawyers per capita, compared to urban areas.

One problem contributing to the lack of lawyers in rural areas is the unwillingness of young personnel to live in rural areas for longer than two years, in part due to profitability, rewards and incentives.

Free Crop unrecognizable office worker standing with papers in hand Stock PhotoOther reasons include the things that make rurality unattractive to young lawyers such as a lack of professional peers, recreation, and culture (Rice, 2011).

McKeon and Rice (2009) elaborate on the staffing issues, explaining the high pressure on Magistrates in rural areas due to the lack of attorneys, which increases the number of self-represented clients and professionality within the court. Other issues affecting Magistrates include the distances that need to be travelled, and the lack of modern digital technology within certain rural locations.

A major issue with accessing justice in the rural court system is the digital divide that exists between urban and rural areas. Quaintance (2022), explains the digital inequities that are developing which leave rural courts vulnerable when unable to access new technology. Issues that relate to being disconnected when attempting to access technology for remote hearings is a primary issue in areas that lack high-speed internet coverage.

Free Person Using Laptop Computer during Daytime Stock PhotoThe individual victim and offender accessing internet technology can also be problematic. Emailing legal documentation to the court registry, and to lawyers, can be an issue for the lower socioeconomic groups who cannot afford internet access, and those that lack internet coverage due to geographical location. These issues are problematic within the rule of law when attempting to access viable means of justice.

(Images sourced from pixels.com)

 

References

Australian Law Reform Commission. (2019). Access to Justice. https://www.alrc.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/fr133_10._access_to_justice_issues.pdf

McKeon, J. C., & Rice, D. G. (2009). Administering Justice in Montana’s Rural Courts. Montana Law Review., 70(2), 1-20. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2030&context=mlr

Quaintance, Z. (2022, Mar 31). What’s New in Digital Equity: The Digital Divide and Access to Justice. Government Technology. https://www.proquest.com/magazines/whats-new-digital-equity-divide-access-justice/docview/2645706065/se-2

Rice, S. (2011). Access to a lawyer in rural Australia: Thoughts on the evidence we need. Deakin Law Review, 16(1), 13-46. https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/ielapa.490191503284612

 

 

Barriers faced by rural police services

/in , , /by

Following is the first of a series of short topic snapshots, prepared by Joseph Loades, a research student with the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England.

 

Rural police services experience adversities that differ from urban areas, including the geographical distances that are needed to be covered, lack of government funding, minimal transport infrastructure, high rates of unemployment and poverty of residents, and rising rates of violent crime and property offences compared to non-urban areas.

Whilst police in urban areas face an extensive array of crimes and the suspects are mostly unknown to the police, rural police are based in communities where social networks are smaller, most members of the community are known to police, and a subjective and interdependent form of policing is used. In rural communities that are subject to an interdependent form of policing, crimes are generally lower than metropolitan areas and rural communities that use an objective and dependent form of policing (Nolan, DeKeseredy and Brownstein. 2022).

Within many rural communities’ economic resources tend to be limited due to deindustrialisation. Adversities such as unemployment, poor health, poverty, a lack physical and non-physical resources, and a high prevalence of crime is experienced in the lower economic status (LES). Economic statuses can dislodge bonds between varying social groups and cultures, creating issues for rural police – who are also part of the local community. The adversities experienced within the LES  have been shown to be connected to higher rates of victimisation and offending, which is intergenerational in nature, and can become a part of community culture (Day et al. 2018).

Lack of government funding to rural police agencies can create many issues, which include low staff numbers, and a lack of police operated harm reduction methods, and police community service interventions. Wooley and Smith (2022) explain that rural police are often understaffed, under-trained, lack adequate equipment, have less time to spend on public relation exercises, which leads to a higher degree of scrutiny within their jurisdiction.

Furthermore, rural communities have a higher degree of conservative attitudes, gun ownership, have a higher population of white residents and extremist views, and a higher level of aversion to government interference and employment of personal social control. These physical and non-physical barriers, combined with large territorial jurisdictions make policing a challenging task.

The expansive geographical areas that need to be covered to access police services not only affects those needing to attend police stations for varying reasons, such as the face-to-face reporting of crime, it also affects the police who need to attend urgent crimes and motor vehicle accidents (Yarwood and Cozens, 2022). The large geographical distances affect police response times to attend urgent situations such as violent offences and property crimes, which are increasing within rural locations (Carcach 2000).

For rural police services to become more efficient, government funding needs to be addressed for police to expand harm reduction and public relation methods. Human resources are also required to alleviate the high rate of adversities suffered by rural residents and break down the economic barriers between social groups.

(Images sourced from pixels.com)

 

References

Carcach, C. (2000). Size, accessibility and crime in regional Australia (pp. 1-6). Canberra, Australia: Australian Institute of Criminology. https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/tandi175.pdf

Day, A., Casey, S., Gerace, A., Oster, C. & O’Kane, D. (2018). The forgotten victims: Prisoner experience of victimisation and engagement with the criminal justice system. https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/55219/1/Day%20et%20al%20-%20Research%20Report%20-%20The%20Forgotten%20Victims.pdf

Nolan, J. J., DeKeseredy, W. S. & Brownstein, H. H. (2022). Police Ethics in Rural Contexts: A Left Realist Consequentialist View. International Journal of Rural Criminology, 7(1), 1-23. https://ruralcriminology.org/index.php/IJRC/article/view/8958/7736

Wooley, M. J. & Smith, S. Z. (2022). Reaching Rural Police: Challenges, Implications, and Applications. Crisis, Stress, and Human Resilience: An International Journal, 4(1), 66-84. https://www.crisisjournal.org/article/36378-reaching-rural-police-challenges-implications-and-applications

Yarwood, R. & Cozens, C. (2017). Constable countryside? Police perspectives on rural Britain. In Geographies of rural cultures and societies (pp. 145-170). Routledge.

 

The latest issue of Rurality, Crime and Society is out now!

/in , , , , /by

The latest issue of Rurality, Crime and Society is out! Download it now!

 

As well as the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime and the Centre for Rural Criminology, the newsletter is supported by the American Society of Criminology – Division of Rural Criminology and the European Society of Criminology Rural Working Group.

This latest issue has been edited by Dr Ziwei Qi and Dr Artur Pytlarz, who have done an excellent job.

 

In the newsletter, you’ll find the following features:

Message from the editors
– Dr Ziwei Qi and Dr Artur Pytlarz

A tribute to Prof Rick Ruddell
– Professor Emeritus Joseph F. Donnermeyer

Message from the Centre for Rural Criminology
– Dr Kyle Mulrooney, Dr Alistair Harkness and Dr Jenny Wise

Message from Professor Joseph Donnermeyer
– President of the ASC Division of Rural Criminology

Latest news from the ESC European Rural Criminology Working Group
– Dr Kreseda Smith and Dr Artur Pytlarz

Three research features
– Dr Robert Smith introduces a qualitative approach to studying rural criminal enterprise
– Paige Bromley discusses domestic violence services in rural UK
– Dr Emilia Jurgielewicz-Delegacz discusses her rural research in Poland

News and Announcements
– Upcoming conferences
– New and forthcoming books
– Call for special issue editors for the IJRC

OUTSTANDING WINNERS OF AWARDS PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

/in , , , , , /by

The International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (ISSRC) is made up of scholars, students and practitioners from around the world with an interest in research aimed at reducing the scourge of crime in all its forms in rural areas.

The Society launched its annual awards program in 2020, offering awards in three categories.

  • The Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award
  • The ISSRC Research Student Award
  • The ISSRC Policy, Practice and Engagement Award

The President of the Society, Emeritus Professor Joseph F. Donnermeyer, said the field of applications for each award category in 2021 was very strong.

“The judging panels had their work cut out this year”, Professor Donnermeyer said.

“Applications were of a very high calibre, showing that the future of the Society and of rural crime studies is in excellent hands.

“I was impressed with the innovative ways which applicants are thinking about how we can tackle crime in rural places – both in a scholarly way but also important practically as well.

“It’s one thing to sit at a desk putting thoughts to paper. It’s another thing altogether to think cleverly as to how these ideas can help shift policy and practice.

“On behalf of the Society’s membership, hearty congratulations and hats off to the three 2021 award recipients!”, Professor Donnermeyer said.

Winners receive a certificate, a cash prize and a book voucher kindly dontaed by Britsol University Press.

 

          Bristol University Press Logo

 

The 2021 ‘Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award’ is presented to:

 

Dr Tarah Hodgkinson, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada.

Tarah is a very productive scholar, and has written rural-focused articles in both an Australian and Canadian context. She has an impressive track record, with 25 journal articles, 6 book chapters and 11 other publications. She has also received international awards, showing her impact and reputation on this level. Her funding to date is also noteworthy.

In the co-authored article she submitted, Tarah identifies a research and evidence deficit in the topic studied; fear of crime in non-urban contexts. She talks about contributing factors such as neglect of the rural in research and the myth of rural idyll, and points to need to examine rural, including in relation to differences in crime decline. Overall, there is a clear contribution to rural criminology (and there are both research and practice implications and contributions) and she is an incredible early career researcher.

The panel was able to see how Tarah’s work has not only made an impact as an academic but also in the applied sense as a crime prevention practitioner.

The 2021 ISSRC Research Student Award is presented to:

 

Cecili Doorewaard, University of South Africa

The panel was unanimous in their decision of awarding Cecili the ISSRC Research Student Award for 2021. The Research Student Award is given to research student (Honours / Masters / PhD student) for a sole-authored piece of writing associated with their research (unpublished or published) in rural criminology.

While all of the applications produced excellent work, Cecili’s research stood out in large part due to its novelty, depth of insight and, ultimately, significant contribution to the field of rural criminology. Specifically, her study explored, describe and explained the criminal behaviour associated with livestock-theft. While farm crime is a field with a relatively healthy empirical basis, very little is known about the perpetrators of these crimes themselves. Cecili’s work therefore provides new insight into offender characteristics, modus operandi and motive.

Importantly, Cecili took these findings and considered them in the context of criminological theory to help explain the how and why of livestock theft, and what drives offenders to commit such acts. Needless to say, such information is valuable from the perspective of policy and practice. To this end, Cecili also drew on these important findings to make a number of key recommendations to enable the criminal justice system and livestock owners to tackle live-stock theft. In short, this work deserves to be recognised and awarded and rural criminologists more broadly would do well to follow Cecili’s lead and consider criminal behaviour associated with livestock-theft from a comparative international perspective.

 

The 2021 ISSRC Policy, Practice and Engagement Award is presented to:

 

The New South Wales Police Force Rural Crime Prevention Team (Led by Det Insp Cameron Whiteside)

In aggregate, the NSW Rural Crime team is outwardly focussed, such as with their involvement with student learning, engagement with academia, interactions with farmers and so on. They have developed a clear leadership role in Australia and New Zealand, notably with the creation of a nationally accredited course, as well as the information booklet. Clear evidence is provided on a range of initiatives which are innovative and aimed at addressing rural crime in NSW (but with national/international potential as well).

The team exemplifies the purpose of the Award – practical application from the law enforcement side that targets and aids potential victims in increasing security, works collaboratively with researchers and the educational environment (outreach through teaching as well). The level of innovation has made them a leader in Australia – policy, practice, and engagement all.

New look International Journal of Rural Criminology!

/in , , /by

The International Journal of Rural Criminology (IJRC) is a double blind peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing empirical and theoretical work related to crime and criminal justice issues associated with diverse rural places of the world. It is fully open access.

 

The IJRC now serves as the official organ of the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime; the American Society of Criminology’s Division of Rural Criminology; and the Rural Crime Working Group of the European Society of Criminology.

You’ll find the history of the journal here. And the focus and scope of the journal here.

IJRC provides opportunity for peer-reviewed submissions in a number of forms:

  • full length articles
  • research notes
  • reviews
  • And an exciting new addition is ‘Police and Practice: Notes from the field’ allowing for practical insights from those outside of academia

“Rural criminology” has become the established term for the growing body of multi- and cross-disciplinary scholarship, and the IJRC welcomes submissions which explore:

  • theories of rurality and crime
  • space and place data collection and methodologies associated with the challenges of rural research
  • rural offending
  • criminal justice processes, institutions and policy
  • rural policing
  • crime prevention
  • practices that seeks solutions to rural crime and the security of rural peoples and rural communities
  • and other related topics

Visit the IJRC website to find out more – and to register as a reader; author if you wish to submit at some stage; and as a reviewer if you are keen to contribute in this way.

Download the flier for the Journal!

Visit the IJRC website!

 

*   *   *

IJRC instructions

To register: go to the Journal’s website. On the menu bar (about in the center), click on “register.” The windows with an asterisk are required (username, password, repeat password, first name, last name, email, and confirm email). Both the username and password must be in letters (alphanumeric) only and you cannot skip any spaces (important to know if you use your name).

It is appreciated if you also fill out affiliation, url (if applicable), mailing address, country, short biostatement, and working languages. Very important: when you “register as”, the default is “reader”. Please also click on “author” and “reviewer”, and a short list of topics on which you are willing to be a reviewer. Then, click register.

Go to the IJRC webpage and log in to make sure your username and password work.

 

To submit an article: On the right side of the User Home page, you can see your history (if any) of previous submissions as an author or as a reviewer. To the right of this summary of roles, in blue lettering, are the words “new submission.” Click on this, and then begin the five step process:

(1) start by selecting a section for your manuscript (there are four from which to select – full length article, research note, policy and practice: notes from the field, and reviews), then go through the submission checklist, followed by the copyright notice (don’t forget to click the “authors agree” box), then consider adding comments for the editor (not necessary/optional), and finally, click on save and continue;

(2) choose file and upload your submission, then click save and continue;

(3) enter or revise any of the metadata (the metadata is taken from your original registration). It is here that you can add co-authors, plus you should add in the manuscript title and abstract, followed by3-5 keywords, and if it applies, enter any contributors and supporting agencies. Then, click save and continue;

(4) the fourth step is for uploading supplementary files. There is a brief explanation of possible supplementary files. Most who submit will not have anything extra to upload, but it is an option, just in case. Click save and continue; and

(5) confirm the submission by clicking “finish submission.” At that point, the submission is complete and the web page thanks you for your interest in IJRC.

 

IJRC instructions for authors who are resubmitting after revisions to the first draft

Go to the IJRC webpage and log in. It shows that you are an author, and will even tell you how many you have submitted (although it will rarely be more than “1”). Click on the title of your manuscript, which will take you to the summary page. Click on review, which is in blue lettering and immediately below a number that is the designation for your manuscript.  Scroll down to “editor decision”. It is there that you will choose your revised file/manuscripts and upload it back into the IJRC system.

 

IJRC instructions for reviewers

You can go to the IJRC webpage after receiving an invitation to review, log in, and it shows that you are a reviewer, and will even tell you how many others you are reviewing (ex. — “1 active”). If you click on reviewer, you can go the title, and it is there that you accept to be a reviewer. Then, the manuscript can be downloaded and so too, the review form (steps 1 and 2).

Once you submit your review, you can also submit a recommendation. You can do this by going to step 3 (review form) and entering your comments. You also have the option of adding a file (step 4) with additional comments (choose file and then upload). Step 5 is a recommendation. Once you make your recommendation, you then click on submit review.

New rural crime research – a podcast, a research report and a book!

/in , , , , /by

Podcast on violence in rural settings

Director of the Research Centre on Violence at West Virginia University and ISSRC member Dr Walter DeKeseredy – author of the recent Routledge book Women abuse in rural places – has joined with Dr Lillie Macias to deliver a thought-provoking podcast. In it they discuss poly-victimisation in rural LGBTQ communities, crimes towards LGBTQ people and ethnic minorities in rural areas, and the role of the media in building more inclusive spaces.

Research report on ‘illicit entrepreneurialism’ in the United Kingdom

Hot off the press are brand new findings from Dr Kate Tudor from Northumbria University. Kate has been researching an array of issues around the theft of agricultural machinery, plant, equipment and vehicles across rural parts of the United Kingdom. Kate’s report offers an outline of the key issues, the methodologies she adopted and key findings – and importantly and of interest to many scholars and practitioners alike, she offers a series of recommendations.

New rural crime book coming soon!

Dr Alistair Harkness, a co-director of the Centre for Rural Criminology at the University of New England (and ISSRC Secretary) and Prof Rob White at the University of Tasmania have produced an edited collection published by Emerald and being released on 19 May. Crossroads of Rural Crime: Representations and Realities of Transgression in the Australian Countryside adopts the notion of ‘crossroads’ to provide a unique lens through which to examine realities of rural crime, focus on notions of the mobility of crime within, to and from rural spaces. Alistair and Rob expand on the framing of the book in an item in the recent Rurality, Crime and Society newsletter (Vol.2, Iss 1).

Brown and Green Grass Field during Sunset

(Pic credit: Jonathan Petersson, www.pexels.com)

 

New newsletter out now – action packed times in rural criminology!

/in , , /by

The latest issues of Rurality, Crime and Society is out! Download it now!

InteCorn Field Under Dark Skyrested in rurality, rural crime, rural society – then this is a must read for you!

As well as the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime and the Centre for Rural Criminology, the newsletter is supported by the American Society of Criminology – Division of Rural Criminology and the European Society of Criminology Rural Working Group.

This latest issue has been edited by Dr Louise Nicholas from Loughborough University, who has done an excellent job.

 

In the newsletter, you’ll find the following features:

Message from the editor
– Dr Louise Nicholas Loughborough University

Message from the Centre for Rural Criminology
– Dr Kyle Mulrooney, Dr Alistair Harkness, and Dr Jenny Wise (UNE)

Message from Professor Joseph Donnermeyer
– President of ISSRC and the ASC Division of Rural Criminology

Latest news from the ESC European Rural Criminology Working Group Award
– Dr Kreseda Smith Harper Adams University and Mr Artur Pytlarz Technological University Dublin

Inaugural Winners of The Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award
– Dr Kate Farhall RMIT University
– Dr Willem Lombard University of the Free State

Rural Criminologist Profile
– Dr Kreseda Smith Harper Adams University

Research Feature
– Professor G. Larry Mays, Mr William Sturgeon, Professor Rick Ruddell: “Rural
American jails: Hamstrung by the past and facing an uncertain future”

Book Feature
– Dr Alistair Harkness and Professor Rob White: “Rural criminology and the Concept
of Crossroads”

News and Announcements
– International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (ISSRC)

Awards Program

2021 meetings and forthcoming roundtables
– Members in the media
– Call for book proposals: Research in Rural Crime
– Call for contributions: Youth & gender-based violence in rural communities
– Event: Author Meets Critics. Woman Abuse in Rural Places
– Event: Virtual Roundtable Series on Sexual Violence and Rurality
– New books

Green Grass Under Dramatic Sky

2021 ISSRC Rural Crime Awards Program… now open for submissions!

/in , /by
  • Are you an early career researcher publishing in the area of rural crime and rural criminology?
  • Are you a research student working on a project associated with rural crime and rural criminology?
  • Are you a practitioner or working in a team doing innovative work aimed at addressing crime in rural communities?

If so, then consider applying to the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (ISSRC) 2021 Awards Program!

ISSRC launched its Rural Crime Awards Program in 2020. The first award, the Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award, was presented jointly in December 2020 to Kate Farhall and Willem Lombard.

We are pleased to announce the opening of the 2021 Awards Program for the following three categories:

  • The Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award
  • Research Student Award
  • Policy, Practice and Engagement Award

Each award recipient will receive a certificate commemorating the achievement, one year free membership of ISSRC and a £50 book voucher courtesy of Bristol University Press.

The Joseph F. Donnermeyer New Scholar Award

Download the guidelines and submission requirements for the Joseph F Donnermeyer Award 2021

  • This award is given to an early career researcher for a publication pertaining to rural criminology
  • Sole or multi-authored publications can be submitted but only one applicant can receive the award
  • The nominee can be self-nominated, or nominated by other persons with the nominee’s permission
  • The nominee can be based at a university or other higher education institution or, non-government or industry role, but they do not have to be in a position of employment
  • The publication can be a journal article or book chapter accepted for publication or published (in print or online) since January 2020
  • The application is to be accompanied by a nomination (not exceeding one A4 page) that provides a short career overview relevant to the nominated article in rural criminology
  • Previous applicants are eligible to apply in subsequent years
  • An early career researcher is defined as someone who is less than 7 years since being awarded their PhD – applicants further than 7 years out who have experienced career interruptions are eligible for the award

Please direct enquiries to Joe Donnermeyer

Research Student Award

Download the guidelines and submission requirements for the Research Student Award 2021

  • This award is given to a research student (Honours / Masters / PhD student) for a sole-authored piece of writing associated with their research (unpublished or published) in rural criminology
  • The applicant can be a current student or within one year of completing their degree
  • The nominee can be self-nominated, or nominated by other persons, with the nominee’s permission
  • Nominees should provide a PDF copy of a piece of writing (published or unpublished) related to your studies (5000  to 10,000 words) – for example, including but not limited to the theoretical or methodological framework of your work, analysis of findings and so on
  • Nominees / persons nominating on a student’s behalf should include a 500 word statement outlining the contribution of the work to rural criminology as a discipline
  • Previous applicants are eligible to apply in subsequent years

Please direct enquiries to Bridget Harris and Jessica Peterson

Policy, Practice and Engagement Award

Download the guidelines and submission requirements for the Practitioner Award 2021

  • This award is open to practitioners who have recently undertaken innovative or significant practice and engagement pertaining to rural crime / rural crime responses
  • Note: For the purpose of this award, a practitioner is an individual, group or organisation actively engaged in the innovation and/or implementation of policy aimed at addressing crime in rural communities broadly speaking
  • The nominee/s can be self-nominated, or nominated by other persons with the nominee’s permission
  • Nominations may focus on a specific policy initiative or aggregate efforts over-time
  • Nominees/nominators should write a submission (1500 words maximum) which responds to several criteria (see guidelines), outlining the contribution of their initiative to rural criminology
  • Nominees/nominators may also include additional material in their applications which evidences or contextualises the initiative(s) and impacts (i.e. outreach material, media coverage, public engagement etc
  • Previous applicants are eligible to apply in subsequent years

Please direct enquiries to Kyle Mulrooney

 

We acknowledge the generous support of Bristol University Press in providing book vouchers for prize recipients

 

              

 

Call for contributions to Vol.2 No.1 of ‘Rurality, Crime and Society’

/in , , , /by

The International Society for the Study of Rural Crime (ISSRC) and the Centre for Rural Criminology jointly publish Rurality, Crime and Society twice annually. Responsibility for editing alterates bewteen the organisations. A big round of applause to Dr Jenny Wise for editing the two issues of Volume 1 in 2020, and an equally big welcome to Dr Louise Nicholas who is editing Volume 2 in 2021.

We welcome features on research projects; industry information, developments or partnerships; and/or researchers (or teams of researchers) engaging in rural crime research. Additionally, we are keen to highlight news items, employment opportunities, recent/forthcoming books/articles, upcoming events, and anything else you can think of relevance to rural crime and society. We have a regular profile feature focusing on a rural criminologist and a graduate student, please get in touch if you would like more information.

Typical research submissions are 2,000-3,000 words in length, however this is negotiable. Please contact Louise to discuss further. When using citations please follow APA formatting.

Please send through your submissions or any questions to l.e.nicholas@lboro.ac.uk before the close of business on Friday 5th March 2021.