green crime T12

Question 1

Wolf

Answer 1

green crime describes actions that break laws protecting the environment

Question 2

White

Answer 2

green criminology is any human action that causes environmental harm, whether it is illegal or not

Question 3

problems with green crime definition

Answer 3

• laws change over time
• may be legal in one country and not another
• who makes these laws?

Question 4

anthropocentric

Answer 4

economic growth before environment

Question 5

ecocentric

Answer 5

environment before economic growth

Question 6

who commits green crime?

Answer 6

• individuals (littering, fly tipping)
• private business organisations (pollution through emission of toxic materials)
• states and govs (military is largest institutional polluter e.g. unexploded bombs, nuclear waste)
• organised crime (mafia paid to dispose waste illegally)

Question 7

primary green crime

Answer 7

crimes that result directly from the destruction of the earth’s resources

Question 8

secondary green crime

Answer 8

crime that grows out of the breaking of rules aimed at preventing environmental disasters

Question 9

examples of primary green crime

Answer 9

• air pollution
• deforestation
• species decline & animal rights
• water pollution

Question 10

Walters

Answer 10

twice as many people now die from air pollution-induced breathing problems as 20 years ago

Question 11

air pollution

Answer 11

burning of fossil fuels adds 3bil tons of carbon into atmosphere each year. criminals = Govs, businesses, consumers

Question 12

deforestation

Answer 12

forests e.g. Amazon destroyed by govs, cattle ranchers & logging companies

Question 13

examples of secondary green crime

Answer 13

• state violence against oppositional groups
• hazardous waste and organised crime
• environmental discrimination

Question 14

South

Answer 14

• poorer groups worse affected by pollution
• black communities in USA situated next to garbage dumps or polluting industries
  (environmental discrimination)

Question 15

state violence against oppositional groups

Answer 15

1985 - French secret service blew up Greenpeace ship ‘Rainbow warrior’ attempting to prevent nuclear weapon testing in the South Pacific

Question 16

victims of green crime

Answer 16

least powerful

Question 17

marxist view on green crime

Answer 17

leads to profit of ruling class
e.g. illegal industrial pollution cheaper than changing procedures

Question 18

right realist view of green crime

Answer 18

bridges gaps between means and goals in society
e.g. personal hassle/financial costs of disposing household waste correctly means some people fly tip
‘cost’ may not seem high as less stigma & weaker sanctions

Question 19

Beck

Answer 19

globalisation of green crime

Question 20

globalisation of green crime example

Answer 20

2010 - global warming caused heatwaves in Russia caused wildfires and destroyed green belt = Russian export bans and increase on price of grain = Mozambique 30% increase on price of bread = rioting and looting of food stores

Question 21

Global risk society

Answer 21

Beck - productivity and technology = new ‘manufacturing risks’ - involve harm to environment and consequences for humans such as global warming
global in nature not nature;

Question 22

positive evaluation of green criminology

Answer 22

by moving definitions, green criminology can develop a globa view on environmental harm which recognises risks to humans and animals

Question 23

negative green criminology evaluation

Answer 23

green criminology is subjective so different views on what is wrong

Question 24

marxist evaluation of green criminology

Answer 24

difficulties in classifying ‘green crimes’ are rooted in issues of power. some countries can get away with harm that others can’t
e.g. Japan continues whaling in international waters even though illegal in many countries

Question 25

2007 European Commission strategies to combat green crime

Answer 25

• enforce existing green laws
• heavier fines
• standardise green guidelines
• more prosecutions
• encourage cooperation across borders

Question 26

evaluation of European Commission

Answer 26

Samantha Jaryam - ‘rare for councils to prosecute’ and prison sentences are ‘rare’ for environmental crimes

Question 27

problems with researching green crime

Answer 27

• difficulty in categorisation
• political and moral judgement rather than empirical and value free