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research, and the most critical in approach (1995) make valuable contributions to this
among the five themes described thus far, topic. However, more recent rural-related
using various social constructivist approaches issues, such as the diffusion of methamphet-
to analyze people’s experiences as victims amine production, trafficking and use in
and their experiences of the rural context in rural communities of many Midwestern USA
which this form of violence occurs. Its find- states is under-researched (Donnermeyer and
ings challenge the long-accepted notions in Tunnell, 2007). Issues related to environmen-
criminology that social cohesion is related to tal crimes are likewise ignored, and a great
less crime (DeKeseredy and Joseph, 2006; many of these crimes occur in rural places,
Gagne, 1992; Miller and Veltkamp, 1989; but represent how globalization influences
Van Hightower and Gorton, 2002; Websdale, the lives of rural people in all societies. In
1995, 1997). This literature turns concepts of addition, vandalism is a little studied rural
Gemeinschaft upside down with its findings phenomenon, from the viewpoint of both the
about the relationship of intimate partner vio- victim and the offender, despite early work
lence and rural patriarchy. Further, the by Phillips and associates (as summarized in
research indicates that peer networks are Donnermeyer and Phillips, 1984).
used by rural male abusers to exchange infor- Aside from specific gaps in the literature,
mation about ways to control their partners there are two very important shortcomings in
through physical and psychological violence the present state of rural criminology. One is
(DeKeseredy and Joseph, 2006). Going all the USA-centric nature of the literature. To
the way back to the first theme, that is, agri- date, nearly all of the scholarly work on rural
cultural crime, Barclay et al. (2004) exam- crime is limited to the USA, although the
ined the ‘dark side of Gemeinschaft’ as it Edwards and Donnermeyer (2002) volume
affects the discretionary behaviour of police cited above was intentionally international in
in their response to reports of stock and other its focus, and included empirical studies
kinds of theft by agriculturalists in New from a variety of countries. Even it, however,
South Wales. Again, the social cohesion of a did not provide a comparative framework for
rural community can contribute to crime, not integrating the findings and observations of
constrain it. each study. Fortunately, there is now a small
The final rural crime theme is the exten- but growing body of international work, even
sive body of literature that has developed though this work is restricted mostly to
around the issue of illicit substance use by English-speaking countries. Notable advances
various rural populations, including both include contemporary work in: (1) Australia
adolescents and adults. This literature is (Barclay and Donnermeyer, 2002; Barclay
much more multi-disciplinary in scope, and et al., 2007; Donnermeyer and Barclay, 2005;
include literally hundreds of studies utilizing Hogg and Carrington, 1998, 2003, 2006;
rural samples. Notable special compilations Jobes et al., 2004; Jobes et al., 2005); (2)
of scholarship on rural substance use Canada (Wood and Griffiths, 1996); and (3)
include a book of collected chapters on sub- Great Britain (Aust and Simmons, 2002;
stance use and violence in rural communities Dingwall and Moody, 1999; Little et al., 2005).
(Blaser, 1994), a technical review by the Although rural populations and communi-
National Institute on Drug Abuse (Robertson ties within these countries are large and
et al., 1997), plus special journal issues diverse, little rural crime research can be
edited by Edwards (1992) and Edwards and found beyond their borders, where lan-
Donnermeyer (2002). guages, cultures, economic conditions and
Unfortunately, there are many gaps in the the pace of change can vary enormously. It is
rural literature, such as systematic research possible that issues of crime in rural places of
on organized drug production in rural areas, these neglected areas may be far different, or
although Weisheit (1992, 1993) and Clayton remarkably similar. Either outcome has