Recent research has highlighted numerous environmental concerns with US prisons, including that prisons are often located on undesirable land that is in close proximity to environmental hazards. We utilize an environmental justice and green criminology perspective to test this in Oklahoma using data on prison sites and toxic releases provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency for a period of seven years (2011–2017). We focus on Oklahoma because it recently became the state with the highest overall incarceration rate and has a history of elevated levels of pollution. Our results find that prison zip codes have greater TRI emissions compared to non-prison zip codes. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the study and directions for future research.

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The overuse and expansion of artificial light at night (ALAN) has emerged from complex social, economic, and political factors, making it a societal problem that negatively impacts wildlife and people. We propose that a convergence research approach combining ecological forecasting with community engagement and public policy is needed to address this diverse societal problem. To begin this convergence research approach, we hosted a workshop to strengthen connections among key biodiversity‐oriented ALAN stakeholders and to better understand how stakeholder groups function across the United States through facilitated discussions. We have prioritized the input of stakeholders early in our research design by including them in the formulation of a national survey on public perceptions surrounding ALAN and received their input on existing ecological forecasting tools to improve those research products for their future use.

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