Rural Violent Crime Challenges
Unfortunately, violent crime plagues communities regardless of size. Solving violent crimes in small rural areas presents challenges due to limited resources and smaller law enforcement teams. While close-knit communities can be a benefit, it can also be a challenge because anonymity can be difficult. Small and Rural Violent Crime Program grantees have addressed specific violent crime issues topics, developing a range of effective strategies.
In the sections below, we highlight the trends for these challenges and emerging best practices for addressing each of them. Click on each area to learn more about the issues, the approaches and success stories.
Rural Violent Crime Trends
Homicides and Assaults
Though lagging behind urban areas, recent trends indicate a significant rise in non-metro area and rural homicides and assaults (Center for Disease Control). Targeted strategies are needed for addressing these crimes. Solving homicides in small and rural areas requires building trust with the community, leveraging local knowledge, and collaborating with regional and state agencies to access advanced resources. By combining innovative forensic tools, data-driven approaches, and strong community partnerships, rural law enforcement can effectively address these challenges.
Request technical assistance, peer-to-peer experiences and/or training if you are facing these challenges.
Robberies
Law enforcement and communities in small and rural areas address robberies by fostering trust through engagement, enhancing surveillance, improving environmental design, and promoting public awareness of crime prevention. For small and rural areas facing a robbery issue, fostering trust through community engagement is especially powerful due to the close-knit nature of these communities. Residents often know each other well, making them more likely to notice unusual activities or individuals when encouraged to do so. Law enforcement can capitalize on these connections by building strong relationships. By combining the natural vigilance of a tight-knit community with proactive policing and surveillance, small and rural towns can create a robust defense against robberies and other similar crimes. Training and technical assistance that leverage the experience of peer agencies is available upon request.
Sexual Assaults
Addressing sexual assaults in small and rural areas requires sensitive and proactive strategies to overcome the challenges posed by close-knit communities, where fear of gossip, stigma, and victim-blaming can discourage reporting. Law enforcement and community organizations foster trust through confidentiality guarantees, survivor-centered approaches, and partnerships with advocacy groups. A robust training approach for first responders on trauma-informed care is critical to ensuring effective responses. Public awareness campaigns can challenge stigmas and educate the community about consent and resources. Regional approaches can help with cost sharing for services such as crisis hotlines and counseling. Multiple agencies have used the Small and Rural Violent Crime program to develop and enhance their approaches to this difficult area. Contact us to learn more about these strategies and receive support for your agency.
Narcotics-related Violent Crime
Narcotics-related violent crime in small and rural areas is a growing concern, driven by the expansion of drug trafficking networks into less-policed regions. Fear of retaliation, understaffing of law enforcement, and cross-border collaboration challenges exacerbate the problem. Best practices to address these challenges include forming multi-agency task forces, enhancing intelligence-sharing networks, and leveraging state and federal resources for training and equipment. Agencies are also focusing on community outreach to encourage reporting, investing in technology like surveillance drones for remote areas, and building cross-border partnerships to disrupt trafficking networks. These efforts, coupled with a focus on prevention through education and treatment programs, are helping rural law enforcement combat narcotics-related violence effectively.
Intimate Partner-related Violence
Trends indicate that Intimate Partner Violence in rural areas often goes underreported. Intimate partner violence (IPV) in small and rural areas presents significant challenges, including geographic isolation, limited access to resources like shelters and legal aid, and the stigma of reporting in tight-knit communities where privacy is scarce, and fear of judgment is high. These barriers are compounded by economic dependence on abusers and fewer law enforcement personnel trained in handling IPV cases.
Agencies are overcoming these challenges by securing grants to fund victim assistance programs, collaborating with regional organizations to expand resource availability, and leveraging public awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage reporting. Recognized best practices include training officers in trauma-informed approaches, establishing partnerships with local advocacy groups, creating safe and confidential reporting mechanisms, and using mobile outreach units to connect survivors with services. These combined efforts aim to provide survivors with the support and safety they need while holding offenders accountable. The Small and Rural Violent Crime Program can provide technical assistance and training to help your agency with Intimate Partner Violence challenges.
Gang-related Violent Crime
Gangs appear to be expanding operations into these suburban and rural regions to evade attention in urban areas. Trends show an increase in recruitment, drug trafficking, and associated violence. The expansion of internet access and social media has enabled gangs to reach a broader audience beyond urban centers. Some report gangs have leveraged online communities to radicalize and recruit youth from these areas, exploiting their sense of isolation and desire for identity.
Best practices to address gang-related crime include multi-agency task forces, intelligence-sharing platforms, and community policing strategies to disrupt recruitment and activity. Agencies are overcoming challenges by collaborating more intentionally, investing in gang intervention programs, using advanced technology like license plate readers and drones, and engaging with local leaders to foster community resilience against gang influence. These efforts combine enforcement with prevention to address the root causes of gang-related violence effectively.
Firearms-related Violent Crime
Geographic isolation, limited law enforcement resources, and cultural norms that often include widespread firearm ownership create challenges for policing firearms-related violence in rural areas. Response times are typically longer due to the vast landscapes, making it easier for offenders to avoid detection. The most prevalent forms of firearms-related violence in these areas include domestic disputes escalating with firearms, hunting accidents, suicides, and alcohol-fueled altercations at social gatherings or events.
Recognized best practices to address these issues include enhancing community education about safe firearm storage, implementing gun violence restraining orders (GVROs), and training law enforcement on de-escalation tactics. Multi-agency collaborations, such as partnerships with public health organizations, focus on addressing alcohol abuse as a risk factor. Additionally, community policing strategies, increased patrols during events where alcohol is consumed, and firearm safety campaigns tailored to local cultures are proving effective in reducing firearms-related violence in suburban and rural settings.
Child Abuse and Exploitation
Child abuse and exploitation in suburban and rural areas pose unique challenges, with trends showing increasing cases of both physical abuse and online exploitation. Geographic isolation combined with limited access to support services can make it difficult for victims to report abuse and for law enforcement. Growing online exploitation enables predators to target children through social media and gaming platforms. Additionally, economic stressors can exacerbate abuse. Limited access to specialized training in child welfare can hinder effective responses.
Identifying and addressing child abuse and exploitation includes training officers in trauma-informed investigation techniques and recognizing signs of abuse, such as behavioral changes or unexplained injuries. Schools, healthcare providers, and child welfare agencies should be invited to participate in training and collaborate on early identification and intervention.
Investigating online exploitation involves leveraging technology, such as data analytics and online monitoring tools. These tools help law enforcement detect these issues.
Community outreach and education campaigns also empower parents and caregivers to recognize and prevent abuse. By prioritizing prevention, swift intervention, and survivor-centered approaches, agencies can better combat child abuse and exploitation in these communities.
Problem-solving frameworks, using technology effectively, and hot-spot policing approaches individually or together are useful in addressing these serious crimes.
Utica VCR Webinar
JSS hosted a webinar featuring SRTVCR grantee, Utica Police Department, and their work to address firearms-related violence.
If you are facing a violent crime challenge, please reach out for technical assistance and training resources at info@srtvcr.com. We have a team of expert and connections to peer law enforcement agencies who may be able to assist you.