While many studies have been done •on urban•• police officers, very little research has been directed••.• .'toward the study of rural and specialized law:•:.

Purpose -The purpose of this research was to identify and describe factors associated with job satisfaction among conservation officers. Design/methodology/approach -The study took a qualitative approach to data collection that included a survey and 24 in-depth interviews with Kentucky conservation officers. Data were examined with the intention of identifying common themes. Findings -Four categories associated with job satisfaction were identified: enjoyment of the outdoors, independence, job diversity/variety, and meeting people. The majority of conservation officers found their work very satisfying.Research limitations/implications -The results are not generalizable, given the qualitative nature of the research. To allow the generalizability of findings, future research should include quantitative measures that could specify how additional factors are related to job satisfaction among conservation officers, such as age, years of service, rank, and education. Future studies should also examine job satisfaction among female conservation officers. Practical implications -A useful source of information for individuals who are considering a career in conservation law enforcement. Originality/value -This paper extends understanding of job satisfaction among police, and should be of particular interest to state wildlife agencies as well as those interested in rural and specialized policing.

This study provides a descriptive account of rationalizations for poaching used by wildlife law violators. There has been little research on motivations for poaching. This study uses qualitative data obtained from surveys and in-depth interviews with wildlife law violators and conservation of cers in Kentucky to examine rationalizations used by wildlife law violators to excuse and justify par ticipation in this type of illegal activity. Comments from conservation of cers and violators revealed widespread use of rationalizations, with denial of responsibility being most common. The study also used claims of entitlement, defense of necessity, and denial of necessity of the law. Findings contribute to our knowledge of why people illegally take wildlife resources.

Many types of serious, as well as less serious, crimes have attracted the attention of sociologists and criminologists. However, despite its detrimental effect upon wildlife populations, social science researchers have devoted scant attention to the study of poaching and poachers. Identification of the specific motivations for poaching is necessary for wildlife agencies to effectively address the problem. Despite a paucity of literature on the topic, several sociological studies have been done which provide support for Sutherland's differential association theory (Sutherland & Cressey, 1960) and Sykes and Matza's (1957) neutralization theory as explanations for poaching. This paper reviews literature on poaching and suggests theoretical and methodological advancements that will help to refine our knowledge of the phenomenon. Specific directions for future research on the motivations to poach are discussed.

Conservation law enforcement is an area of policing that has been largely overlooked by sociologists and criminal justice researchers. Some have speculated that when compared to their traditional police officer counterparts, conservation officers face greater dangers on the job. However, little if any research has been directed towards violence against conservation officers. Using a qualitative approach to data collection, this descriptive and exploratory study examined the nature of assaults on Kentucky conservation officers. Conservation officers reported that while physical assaults did occur periodically, they were relatively rare events. Verbal abuse from recreationists was much more common.