Environmental crime is one of the most profitable and fastest growing areas of international criminal activity. These types of crime, however, do not always produce an immediate consequence, and the harm may be diffused. As such, the complexity of victimization - in terms of time, space, impact, and who or what is victimized - is one of the reasons why governments and the enforcement community have trouble in finding suitable and effective responses. This book provides a diverse and provocative array of arguments, critiques and recommendations from leading researchers and scholars in the field of green criminology. The chapters are divided into three main sections: the first part deals with specific characteristics of some of the major types of environmental crime and its perpetrators; the second focuses explicitly on the problem of victimization in cases of environmental crime; and the third addresses the question of how to tackle this problem. Discussing these topics from the point of view of green criminological theory, sociology, law enforcement, community wellbeing, environmental activism and victimology, this book will be of great interest to all those concerned about crime and the environment.

This book will provide invaluable assistance to the new criminal environmental investigator in the highly regulated and complex field of criminal environmental investigations. This type of criminal investigation comes with a very steep learning curve. Every activity that takes place at an environmental crime scene involving a hazardous substance is strictly regulated by numerous laws and mandated procedures which must be met for a prosecutor to pursue a successful criminal prosecution. Written in a format which will bring the new criminal environmental investigator through this lengthy learning process, its goal is to supply the criminal environmental investigator with the comprehensive procedures and techniques necessary to conduct a successful criminal environmental investigation that involves the release to the environment of a chemical, biological or radiological hazardous substance. The first issues addressed are those related to the specialized training, equipment, and resources needed to safely and effectively conduct this unique type of criminal investigation. This is followed by several chapters related to environmental crime search warrants, which includes such subjects as establishing probable cause, search warrant planning and search warrant execution. In addition, the criminal environmental investigator is provided with the hazardous evidence collection protocols necessary to collect chemical, biological and radiological evidence in their various forms and matrices. This work goes beyond simply describing "how" to collect hazardous evidence: it informs the reader "why" the hazardous evidence must be collected in a specific manner to meet the many challenges that can be expected to be brought forth by the adversarial criminal justice system.

The essays selected for this volume illustrate the growing interest in and importance of crime that is both environmental and transnational in nature. The topics covered range from pollution and waste to biodiversity and wildlife crimes, and from the violation of human rights associated with the exploitation of natural resources through to the criminogenic implications of climate change. The collection provides insight into the nature and dynamics of this type of crime and examines in detail who is harmed and what can be done about it. Differential victimisation and contemporary developments in environmental law enforcement are also considered. Collectively, these essays lay the foundations for a criminology that is forward looking, global in its purview, and that deals with the key environmental issues of the present age.

This book explores the use of restorative justice approaches in the context of environmental crimes. It critically assesses regular criminal justice approaches with regard to green crimes and explores restorative justice conferencing as an alternative. Focussing on justice approaches in Australia and New Zealand, it argues that court processes following environmental offending provide minimal to no offender and victim voice, interaction, and input, rendering them invisible. It proposes a third measure of justice – that of meaningful involvement, beyond that of fair procedure and outcome. It suggests the use of restorative justice conferencing, a facilitated dialogue between stakeholders to crime or conflict, as a vehicle to operationalise and achieve justice as meaningful involvement. This book speaks to those interested in green criminology, victimology and environmental law.

Victims of crime may experience a wide variety of traumas that result in physical, sexual, financial, psychological, emotional, and/or social consequences. While the types of trauma can vary greatly and include lesser-known forms such as vicarious and secondary trauma, identifying and recognizing victims can be complicated. Throughout this book, experts and professionals from academia and the fields of criminal justice, social work, and mental health acknowledge victims historically overlooked by society, political movements, the media, and/or the criminal justice system - we acknowledge the invisible victims. Invisible Victims and the Pursuit of Justice: Analyzing Frequently Victimized Yet Rarely Discussed Populations pioneers the assertion that our view of victims needs to be more inclusive by exploring invisible victims that are rarely, if ever, a focus of discussions in traditional victimology textbooks. To educate the reader and begin working toward positive change, each chapter identifies an invisible victim and provides the background, controversies, issues, solutions, and areas of future research. It is crucial to identify these gaps in the field as some of the most victimized populations remain absent from important dialogue on crime victims. This book is appropriate for a wide range of readership including but not limited to criminologists, victim service providers, psychologists, sociologists, social workers, advocate groups, law enforcement, lawyers, defense attorneys, criminal justice practitioners, academicians, researchers, and students studying criminology, criminal justice, victimology, social work, psychology, and social justice.

There are many controversial aspects of our criminal justice system, and this encyclopedia examines the most significant controversies throughout American history with emphasis on current debates, trends, and issues. Arranged alphabetically, approximately 100 entries cover background, explanations, notable cases and events, various sides of an issue, and what to expect in the future. Entries are objective and factual, allowing readers to formulate their own conclusions. Sidebars and case examples help to illustrate each entry, and sources for further reading point readers to other important materials. Given the prevalance of controversial criminal justice topics in the news, this timely reference is an important resource for anyone interested in crime and justice. Entries include: Boot Camps, Corporal Punishment, DNA Evidence, Domestic Violence, Expert Testimony, Eye Witness Identifications, Gun Control, Homeland Security, International Criminal Court, Legalization of Marijuana, Mental Health and Insanity, Police Brutality, Prison Violence, Racial Profiling, School Violence, Sex Offender Laws, Stalking Laws, Supermax Prisons, Three Strikes, Treating Juveniles as Adults, War on Drugs, and more.

Environmental crime is one of the most profitable and fastest growing areas of international criminal activity. The increasing cross-border scope of environmental crimes and harms is one of the reasons why governments and the enforcement community have trouble in finding the proper responses. Law enforcement cooperation between western industrialized states is often time consuming and problematic, and the problems increase exponentially when environmental criminals take advantage of situations where government and law enforcement are weak. This book provides an overview of the developments and problems in the field of transnational environmental crimes and harms, addressing these issues from perspectives such as enforcement, deterrence, compliance and emission trading schemes. Divided into four parts, the authors consider global issues in green criminology, responses to transnational environmental crimes and harms, alternative methods to combat environmental crime, and specific types of crimes and criminological research. Discussing these topics from the view of green criminology, sociology and governance, this book will be of great interest to all those concerned about the transnational dimensions of crime and the environment.

Few criminologists have drawn attention to the fact that widespread and significant forms of harm such as green or environmental crimes are neglected by criminology. Others have suggested that green crimes present the most important challenge to criminology as a discipline. This book argues that criminology needs to take green harms more seriously and to be revolutionized so that it forms part of the solution to the large environmental problems currently faced across the world. It asks how criminology should be redesigned to consider green/environmental harm as a key area of study in an era where destruction of the earth and the world’s ecosystem is a major concern and examines why this has remained unaccomplished so far. The chapters in this book apply an environmental frame of reference underlying a green approach to issues which can be addressed from within criminology and which can encourage criminologists and environmentalists to respond and react differently to environmental crime.