Description
Criminology has long examined the relationship between crime, place, and community dynamics, but has largely overlooked rural areas. Many rural communities possess features that typically protect against crime, like strong informal social controls and collective efficacy, but they also face threats to safety similar to those in urban areas, such as economic decline, poverty, substance abuse, and social isolation. Yet we know little about what shapes rural residents' perceptions of safety. This Element draws on interviews with over 100 young people in Appalachian Kentucky to explore the social determinants of safety in their communities. It examines the protective aspects of local culture, the impact of addiction and economic hardship, and how these issues expose a “dark side” of social cohesion whereby collective efficacy is undermined by stigma and shame. It concludes by exploring how youth and community institutions can help redefine safety, from a privilege to a fundamental human right.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction; 2. Understanding rural crime and safety; 3. 'Taking matters into our own hands': the characteristics of Appalachian Kentucky that promote safety; 4. Drugs as the 'Downfall of Society': how drug use and economic decline undermine safety; 5. Stigma, shame, and the 'Dark Side' of social cohesion: how threats to safety tear the community apart; 6. The transformative power of youth and community: opportunities to reclaim safety; 7. Conclusion: safety as a right, not a privilege; Acknowledgements; References.
