Similarities between green criminology and green science: Toward a typology of green criminology

Abstract

Green criminology can be described as the study of environmental harm, crime, victimization, law, regulation, and justice. In this essay, we note that the development of green criminology has been slowed by the divergent, multifaceted, issue-driven approach to the field. We propose a green criminological typology that draws upon divisions established in the natural sciences literatures in the fields of ecotoxicology, environmental toxicology, and green chemistry. Specifically, we demonstrate how the green sciences can be divided into eco-approaches, enviro-approaches, and policy-oriented approaches. We apply this framework in the green sciences to green criminology while recognizing the need for a fourth area that that addresses economic, social, political, and philosophical theories. We review the development and division of the green sciences to show that green criminology can be divided into “enviro-green” criminology and “eco-green” criminology. We encourage green criminologists to further develop this green typology to advance the field.

Keywords:

• green criminology
• crime typology
• environmental harm
• environmental crime
• environmental policy

Notes

1. Gibbs et al. (2010) suggest that green criminology is an “area of study, often referring to environmental crime, environmental harm or green crime as the domain of study” (p. 1). Eman, Meško, and Fields (2009) propose that green criminology is “also known as environmental criminology [and] represents the branch of criminology that deals with research into criminality against the environment and associated phenomena” (p. 575).

2.Halsey Gibbs et al. (2010) argue that “green” terminology and the meaning of “green” is still debated. Gibbs et al. (2010) also call for an organizing framework that will help to advance the field. They propose that green criminology be reorganized and renamed “conservation criminology.” Conservation criminology would be based on a multidisciplinary framework that integrates criminology, natural resource management, and risk and decision analysis.