Rural Crime Survey 2022

Crime has always been a key issue throughout the countryside and indeed when we talk to those who live and work in rural communities, rural crime is nearly always top of that list.

That concern, however, has not always been reflected in the corridors of Whitehall. Take for instance our campaign to strengthen the law against those who go hare poaching. We had been campaigning for many years to get the law strengthened to target those who harass and intimidate farmers and the wider rural community but the Government had remained steadfast in its position of not taking any action. It was only after four long years that the Countryside Alliance and other rural organisations finally persuaded the Government to amend the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to give the police and courts new powers to combat the blight of hare poaching.

However tenacious our campaigning is in Westminster, Holyrood or the Senedd, we also need you to play your part by responding to our annual Rural Crime Survey. Tell us about the problems and issues you face in your community regarding crime so that we can underpin our arguments and make your voice heard.

Over the years our annual Rural Crime Survey has shown us that those living and working in rural communities often feel that the police do not take rural crime seriously despite it rising up the national agenda over the last few years.

The results of the 2021 Countryside Alliance Rural Crime Survey built on the previous year's and showed that nine in ten people had not seen a police officer in the last week and seven in ten people reported an increase in crime over the last 12 months.

It is clear from last year's results that there is a lot to do in tackling rural crime, working with communities to ensure the impact of it is lessened, and the crime problems rural communities face. As a voice for rural Britain, we must continue to put pressure on the Government, Police and Crime Commissioners, and police forces on their approach to tackling rural crime and the causes of rural crime. This is why it is so important for you to take part in our annual Rural Crime Survey 2022 which will help us direct our campaigns and ensure we make your voice heard in the corridors of power.