Crime and Fear Of Crime In Rural Areas

By Lisa Westfelt, Sara Jonsson and Ulrika Lindstedt

Brå has been commissioned by the Government to survey crime and fear of crime in rural areas. Brå’s commission has included describing the specific nature of criminality and how fear of crime affects people in rural areas. Brå has also analysed the incidence of crimes committed by animal rights activists. The study is mainly based on police report statistics, the Swedish Crime Survey and interviews both with municipal police officers and crime prevention coordinators in rural municipalities and with experts. Less crime and greater sense of safety As with previous studies in this area, the analysis shows that, overall, there is less crime in rural areas. This applies to both reported offences and self-reported victimisation. People living in rural municipalities report less fear of crime than those in other types of municipalities. Crime trends follow broadly the same patterns as elsewhere in Sweden. According to the Swedish Crime Survey, various types of municipalities show no differences in terms of citizens’ experiences with the police, but the survey shows a marginally lower level of confidence in the justice system in rural municipalities. However, several interviewees argue that confidence in the police, as well as in public authorities in general, is lower in certain very sparsely populated rural areas. Specific challenges for crime prevention There are certain conditions in rural areas that, directly or indirectly, impact crime and create challenges for crime prevention. Financial difficulties and skills shortages Many rural municipalities have declining and ageing populations, which leads to a shrinking tax base and financial difficulties. The low population density and declining populations of rural areas have made it more difficult for businesses providing goods and services in rural areas to operate. As public utilities and infrastructure are gradually dismantled, social trust can be negatively affected, and, with it, confidence in the justice system. Our interviews reveal that municipalities experience difficulty in securing necessary skills as well as in recruiting and retaining municipal police.

English summary of Brå report 2025:1 Stockholm: The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå), 2025.2025. 8p.