Types of Green Crime

Definition of Green Crimes:

• The definition of green crime is problematic as many 'green crimes' are legal yet have harmful impacts on the environment

• Development of Green Criminology

  • Focuses on harm to the environment rather than breaking the law

Primary and Secondary Green Crime:

• South (2014) argues there are two forms of green crime:

  • Primary green crimes are a direct result of the destruction of the earth's resources

  • Secondary green crimes are deliberate breaches of laws that look to prevent green crime

Primary Green Crime:

• Air pollution - growth of industrialisation and urbanisation has led to increased use of fossil fuels

• Water pollution - production of non-reusable goods has led to increased waste in the planet's water supplies

• Deforestation - cutting down of forests to use timber or to make way for grazing or manufacturing

• Desertification - overuse of land to the extent that it becomes infertile

• Species extinction - impacts of other forms of green crime on the habitat of animals and illegal abuse of animals

Secondary Green Crimes:

• Organised crime - including illegal dumping of chemicals

• Corporate crimes - outsourcing disposal of hazardous waste to third parties who dump this illegally

• Environmental discrimination - causing environmental issues in areas of deprivation or global poverty

• Influence of the state in combating groups that look to prevent companies from causing environmental damage by criminalising their activities

• FBI categorises environmental groups that break the law to protect the environment as eco-terrorism

• Protests against tracking, and building of infrastructure, such as rail and runways have led to prosecution by the criminal justice system