Australians in the bush want tougher penalties on crime. Here’s why – and what’s needed now

Caitlin Davey; Kyle J D Mulrooney; Sue Watt

Australians in the bush want tougher penalties on crime. Here’s why – and what’s needed now

Caitlin Davey
, Kyle J D Mulrooney
, Sue Watt

Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article

Abstract

New research has found that while Australians generally support strong punishments, people living in the bush are significantly more likely than city dwellers to want to punish more harshly those who break the law.

It means Australians living in rural and regional areas are more likely to support tougher penalties for crime than those in the cities.

However, it’s not for the reasons you might expect.

Original language	English
Pages	1-4
Specialist publication	The Conversation
Publisher	The Conversation Media Group Ltd
Publication status	Published - 17 Jun 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Australians in the bush want tougher penalties on crime. Here’s why – and what’s needed now

Abstract

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