Green Crime Havens: A Spatial Cluster Analysis of Environmental Crime

Abstract

Objectives The following study contributes to the bridging green criminology's quantitative research gap by analyzing the spatial distribution of environmental crimes throughout the United States. In doing so, we consider the possibility of green crime havens; areas with elevated health risks associated with dense concentrations of green criminal behavior. Methods Using data obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ECHO database, we conduct a spatial cluster analysis to identify counties bearing a disproportionate number of the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act violations. Results Findings affirm the existence of numerous green crime havens with violations occurring both within and across different types of pollution cases. Conclusions The study concludes with a theoretical reflection of the treadmill of crime and corresponding series of policy recommendations.

Toxic Colonialism in the Territorial Isles: A Geospatial Analysis of Environmental Crime Across U.S. Territorial Islands 2013–2017

“…These actors (resorts/hotels, cruise lines, and private estates) are frequently found to be in non-compliance. In this same vein, the commercialization of Puerto Rico has developed into a dense cluster of violations comparable to some of the notorious mainland urban areas (Thomson et al, 2020). The green criminal tendencies of the military (base installations, bombing ranges, chemical stockpiling, etc.)…”

“…The power asymmetry which guides the unequal distribution of environmental harm has been explored in green criminological research from the perspective of the political economy, environmental sociology, and environmental justice (Perz et al, 2018; Thomson et al, 2020). However, absent from the discourse and crucial to the understanding the relationship between history and the environment is the impact of toxic colonialism.…”

Material Insecurity, Racial Capitalism, and Public Health

“…As with the pollution haven hypothesis, this concept represents the geographical distribution of pol-lutants and environmental vulnerability in ways that track power relations. 17 And, as with the other theories, the relationship described is a causal one: researchers at Auburn University and the University of Florida explain that the havens arise "as part of power differences and corresponding zoning decisions," not simply as a result of the havens' proximity to natural resources that companies want access to for production. 18 Whether one relies on the globally scoping ecologically unequal exchange theory, the transnational pollution haven hypothesis, or the idea of subnational green crime havens, the balance of evidence suggests that the geographical distribution of pollutants and environmental risk reflects social power dynamics.…”

“…As with the pollution haven hypothesis, this concept represents the geographical distribution of pollutants and environmental vulnerability in ways that track power relations. 17 And, as with the other theories, the relationship described is a causal one: researchers at Auburn University and the University of Florida explain that the havens arise “as part of power differences and corresponding zoning decisions,” not simply as a result of the havens’ proximity to natural resources that companies want access to for production. 18…”

Environmental and Wildlife Crime in Sweden from 2000 to 2017

“…Sweden and other Scandinavian countries have a long tradition of dealing with environmental issues, and of serving as models for other countries worldwide, which makes them an interesting case from an international perspective. Moreover, theories and examples from North America and the United Kingdom dominate the international literature on crimes against nature and wildlife (e.g., Adler & Lord, 1991; Cochran et al, 2018; Lynch et al, 2020; Pendleton, 1997; Thomson et al, 2020; Wellsmith, 2011; White, 2013). Finally, spatial–temporal analyses of EWC are rare, and so the results we present are of immediate relevance to Swedish policy makers.…”