Green crime

Question 1

Wolf

Answer 1

Green crimes is one form of crime that links globalisation, corporations and organised crime. These are crimes against the environment.

Question 2

Traditional criminology

Answer 2

Trad crim studies the patterns and causes of law breaking. They have been criticised for accepting official definitions of environmental problems and crimes often shaped by powerful groups to serve their own interests.

Question 3

Green criminology looks at the notion of environmental harm rather than criminal law.

Answer 3

White argues that green crime is any action that harms the physical environment. By focusing on much broader concept of harms rather than on legally defined crimes it’s hard to define the boundaries of Green Criminology’s field of study clearly.

Question 4

Primary green crime

Answer 4

Currently not illegal under law, consider environmental issues. Destroy the earths resources e.g. air pollution and deforestation.

Question 5

Secondary green crime

Answer 5

Actions that are illegal under national or international law, but these laws may not be enforced e.g. Hazardous waste and water pollution.

Question 6

Green crime and global risk society

Answer 6

Beck argues that environmental disasters are now manufactured, not natural. Global risks mean that the events and green crimes in one location can have consequences on a global scale for example deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and rising carbon emissions are creating major climate changes. However, there are a growing number of laws and international agreements against green crimes.

Question 7

Who commits green crime?

Answer 7

Wolf identifies four groups who commit environmental crimes. Individuals, private business organisations, states and governments and organised crime.

Question 8

Victims of green crime

Answer 8

Wolf argues there are wide inequalities in the distribution of harm and risks to victims of green crime. Working class people living in developing countries most likely to be victims.

Question 9

Difficult to measure green crime

Answer 9

The offenders may have the power to conceal their activities.

Question 10

Issues when researching green crimes

Answer 10

Countries have different laws about green crimes so official stats may not always be comparable between countries.