The Architecture of Rural Life: The Dangers of Dense Collective Efficacy for At-Risk Girls

Dense ties and acquaintanceship result in small communities that deal with issues on an individual, informal basis. When issues such as sexual assault arise, if a victim is willing to seek services, studies have found that rurality negatively impedes on this process. The current study takes place in a primarily rural state, representing social control mechanisms somewhat different from cityscapes. The project relies heavily on in-depth interviews from incarcerated girls and women, as well as contributions from community actors, to assess collective efficacy in rural communities, influence of gender dynamics, and the impact on at-risk girls. Tracing participants' community roots, the study gathers structural and cultural characteristics of the locale, assessing social control practices as reported by local professionals. Results challenge literature proclaiming solely positive results from high levels of collective efficacy, finding that strong collective efficacy in nonurban areas gathers close insider ties, but “outsiders,” which includes girls identified in this research, are defined quickly and negatively, placing them in significant peril. Policy recommendations include broader cultural shifts coupled with local involvement with school personnel and church-involved patrons serving the needs of families and at-risk girls.