Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental crime and problem-solving courts

  • Published:
Crime, Law and Social Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Environmental harms are by their nature complex and as such give rise to formal legal responses that range from simple regulatory intervention to multi-faceted court order. The purpose of this paper is to explore the emergence of environmental courts and the development of judicial and tribunal expertise in this specific area. A wide range of sanctions are now available and being actively applied by such bodies. Moreover, in many instances, the philosophical approach adopted by these courts is that of problem-solving. The combination of specialist expertise and innovative methods of intervention are progressively revolutionising judicial practice in regards to contemporary environmental issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Al-Damkhi, A., Khuraibet, A., Abdul-Wahab, S., & Al-Attar, F. (2009). Toward defining the concept of environmental crime on the basis of sustainability. Environmental Practice, 11(2), 115–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bell, S., & McGillivray, D. (2008). Environmental Law [7th edition]. London: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Besthorn, F. (2002). ‘Restorative Justice in Environmental Restoration – The Twin Pillars of a Just Global Environmental Policy: Hearing the Voices of the Victim’, Journal of Societal and Social Policy, 3(2):

  4. Brickey, K. (2008). Environmental crime: Law, policy, prosecution. New York: Aspen Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bricknell, S. (2010). Environmental Crime in Australia. AIC Reports Research and Public Policy Series 109. Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.

  6. Clifford, M., & Edwards, T. (1998). Defining “Environmental Crime”. In M. Clifford (Ed.), Environmental crime: Enforcement, policy, and social responsibility. Gaithersburg: Aspen publications.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cullinan, C. (2003). Wild Law: A manifesto for earth justice. London: Green Books in association with The Gaia Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dighe, K., & Pettus, L. (2011). Environmental justice in the context of environmental crime. United States Attorneys’ Bulletin, 59(4), 3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Higgins, P. (2012). Earth is our business: Changing the rules of the game. London: Shepheard-Walwyn Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hinde, S. (2003). ‘The International Environmental Court: Its Broad Jurisdiction as a Possible Fatal Flaw’, 32 Hofstra Law Review.

  11. Interpol Pollution Crime Working Group (2007) ‘Arguments for Prosecutors of Environmental Crimes’, Advocacy Memorandum, 5 June 2007.

  12. Konisky, D. (2009). The limited effects of federal environmental justice policy on state enforcement. Policy Studies Journal, 37(3), 475–496.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lynch, M., & Stretesky, P. (2003). The meaning of green: contrasting criminological perspectives. Theoretical Criminology, 7(2), 217–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lynch, M., Stretesky, P., & Burns, R. (2004). Determinants of environmental Law violation fines against petroleum refineries: race, ethnicity, income, and aggregation effects. Society and Natural Resources, 17(4), 343–357.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Magistrates’ Association (UK). (2009). Costing the earth: Guidance for sentencers. London: Magistrates’Association.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mandiberg, S. (2009). Locating the environmental harm in environmental crimes. Utah Law Review, 4, 1177–1222.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Mehta, M. (2009). In the Public Interest: Landmark Judgement & Orders Of The Supreme Court of India on Environment & Human Rights, Vols1–3. New Delhi: Prakriti Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mwebaza, R. (2010). Annual regional conference of judges on environmental security in Eastern Africa: Summary of presentations. Pretoria: Institute for Security Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  19. O’Hear, M. (2004). Sentencing the green-collar offender: punishment, culpability, and environmental crime. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 95(1), 133–276.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Pinderhughes, R. (1996). The impact of race on environmental quality: an empirical and theoretical discussion. Sociological Perspectives, 39(2), 231–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Preston, B. (2007). ‘Principled sentencing for environmental offences – Part 2: Sentencing considerations and options’, 31 Criminal Law Journal 142.

  22. Preston, B. & Donnelly, H. (2008a). Achieving consistency and transparency in sentencing for environmental offences. Monograph 32, June 2008. Sydney: Judicial Commission of New South Wales.

  23. Preston, B. & Donnelly, H. (2008b). ‘The establishment of an environmental crime sentencing database in New South Wales’, 32 Criminal LawJournal 214.

  24. Preston, B. (2011a). ‘Operating an environment court: the experience of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales and 12 benefits of judicial specialisation in environmental law’, Keynote Address, Renewing Environmental Law: A Conference for Public Interest Environmental Law Practitioners, University of Victoria Environmental Law Centre, West Coast Environmental Law and Ecojustice. Vancouver: British Columbia.

  25. Preston, B. (2011). The use of restorative justice for environmental crime. Criminal Law Journal, 35, 136–145.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Pring, G. & Pring, C. (2009). Greening Justice: Creating and Improving Environmental Courts and Tribunals. The Access Initiative.

  27. Situ, Y., & Emmons, D. (2000). Environmental crime: The criminal justice system’s role in protecting the environment. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  28. United Nations Environment Programme. (2007). Judicial training modules on environmental Law: Application of environmental Law by national courts and tribunals. Nairobi: UNEP.

    Google Scholar 

  29. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2011). Transnational organized crime in the fishing industry: Focus on: trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, illegal drugs trafficking. Vienna: United Nations.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Walters, B. (2011). Enlarging our vision of rights: the most significant human rights event in recent times? Alternative Law Journal, 36(4), 263–268.

    Google Scholar 

  31. White, R. (2010). ‘Prosecution and sentencing in relation to environmental crime: recent socio-legal developments’, crime. Law and Social Change, 53(4), 365–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. White, R. (2011). Transnational environmental crime: Toward an eco-global criminology. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  33. White, R. (2012). Climate change and paradoxical harm. In S. Farrell, D. French, & T. Ahmed (Eds.), Legal and criminological consequences of climate change. London: Hart Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia

    Rob White

Authors
  1. Rob White
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rob White.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

White, R. Environmental crime and problem-solving courts. Crime Law Soc Change 59, 267–278 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-013-9414-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-013-9414-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation