Projects / Programmes
Security and safety in local communities - comparison of rural and urban environments
January 1, 2019
- December 31, 2024
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.07.00 |
Social sciences |
Criminology and social work |
|
| 5.04.00 |
Social sciences |
Administrative and organisational sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S160 |
Social sciences |
Criminology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.04 |
Social Sciences |
Sociology |
| 5.06 |
Social Sciences |
Political science |
safety/security, rural and urban local communities, Slovenia, fear of crime, victimisation, social control, plural policing, marginalised social groups, cybersecurity
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
June 4, 2023;
A3 for period
2017-2021
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
220 |
1,374 |
1,167 |
5.3 |
| Scopus |
209 |
1,540 |
1,306 |
6.25 |
Researchers (19)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
In the continuation of research on security and safety in local communities, we are planning to focus on rural, semi-urban and urban local communities in Slovenia.
Approximately 50% of the world's population lives in rural areas, but merely a handful of criminological studies focus on crime in rural settings. Although official data suggest a higher level of crime in urban environments, this does not reflect a realistic picture of the actual situation and the needs of the rural environment. Studies show that in rural settings fear of crime is increasing, and specific forms of criminality are more frequent. Moreover, big cities have seen a decline in violent crime in past decades, while this does not apply to rural environments where, for example, the number of serious violent crimes is stable and does not show a similar decline. Findings of preliminary and pilot studies in the Slovenian environment as well pointed to differences in the characteristics of crime, fear of crime etc. between urban and rural areas. It was found that the appropriateness of criminological theories for studying crime in urban environments is decreasing by reducing the level of urbanisation. Consequently, a new branch of criminology has developed - rural criminology. It focuses on the study of crime in rural environments and the verification of the appropriateness of classical criminological theories in these environments. First, we will conduct a literature review in the fields of rural and urban criminology theory, crime, victimisation, and fear of crime analysis, contemporary security challenges and social control practice, models of cooperation between security organisations and their methods of operation in the rural and urban environment, and safe use of the internet. We will analyse crime, disorder, victimisation, and fear of crime, with the emphasis on comparison between rural and urban environments. We will study issues and security challenges, associated with marginal and marginalised social groups (refugees, immigrants, Roma people etc.) and investigate these groups' perceptions of nature and quality of policing. We will study safety and security provision, social control, and policing, focusing specifically to rural local communities. In the context of safe use of the internet, we will analyse the relationship between the use of different technologies, the threat and actual victimisation.
Research process will include a literature review, quantitative (surveys) and qualitative methods, such as semi-structured interviews, focus-group interviews and case studies. Based on results, we will elaborate the proposals for more effective provision of safety/security, especially in rural local communities in Slovenia.
Significance for science
In the continuation of the work of the research program Security and safety in local communities, we are planning to focus our research activities to rural and urban local communities in Slovenia.
The results will be an essential starting point for changes in security policy-making. The program represents great importance for the development of science by directing the attention of researchers to overlooked areas and allowing the verification of scientific findings from urban environments in rural environments as well as among the population of these environments. Within the small area of Slovenia, and the extensive fragmentation of local self-government along with varying levels of urbanisation of local communities, it is important to identify the differences that should be reflected in local safety provision measures.
Significance for the country
The results of research of safety and security in local communities will help us establish common ground for fruitful cooperation between institutions at local, national, as well as international/European levels. Crime and public disorder represent sources of threat to individuals and communities, increasing operation costs to formal social control institutions; therefore, these analyses will be an essential input to the discussions on the socio-economic development of Slovenia. The proposed preventive models are to include both social preventive measures and situational prevention, as well as other forms of formal social control (plural policing) applicable to both real and virtual environments with the emphasis on the rural settings. The proposed solutions and the proper institutional functioning are expected to make a significant socioeconomic impact on the performance of Slovenian organisations and their ability to hold and maintain their positions while, consequently, developing their competitive advantages for a successful long-term presence in the global environment. The research findings will contribute to Slovenian society being less punitive/controlling (police and criminal justice), favouring solutions to be found within the framework of social justice, risk reduction, and restorative justice.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
