It is now trite to suggest that the world is a shrinking place. This shrinking has been highly beneficial. Australians now enjoy economic, cultural and recreational opportunities which were previously not available. On the other hand, the global village has its dark alleys. Once remote from some of the more unpleasant aspects of life elsewhere in the world, Australia is now threatened by dangerous influences from around the globe. Consequently, it is perhaps now appropriate to speak of “the tyranny of proximity”.
The rapid mobility of people, money, information, ideas, and commodities generally, has provided new opportunities for crime, and new challenges for law enforcement agencies. This paper reviews some of the major themes of crime and crime control in today’s small world. It observes that linkages between events and institutions overseas and at home are inevitable, and will inevitably proliferate. Recognising that a return to isolation is out of the question, we discuss policy implications for crime control in a global village.