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The Human Face of Water Security pp 95–111Cite as

Crime, Corruption, Terrorism and Beyond: A Typology of Water Crime

Part of the Water Security in a New World book series (WSEC)

Abstract

Water security is a multifaceted concept that spreads over political, social, economic and biophysical fields, becoming increasingly important in the age of looming global water crises. Previous research outcomes suggest that escalating global water crises are the results of governance failure not limited to physical shortages of freshwater resources. Water crime is defined in both procedural and moral terms as wrongdoings determined within the legal justice systems and social norms. This chapter explores water crimes in different dimensions with examples from the Global North and South and establishes typologies as follows: mismanagement of water resources causing significant social harms and environmental damage; corruption allowing allocation of water resources for a favoured party, using public office for private economic and political gains and adding payments for more effective service delivery; and, terrorism targeting water infrastructure and systems and affecting water security in water scarce regions. A broader framework to understand the multiple dimensions of water crime is an essential precondition for establishing a comprehensive strategy for achieving water security.

Keywords

  • Water
  • Security
  • Crime
  • Governance
  • Management
  • Terrorism

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This author delineates eight types of crimes by police including corruption of authority, kickbacks, opportunistic theft, shakedowns, protection of illegal activities, underhand arrangements, direct criminal activities and internal payoffs. See: Roebuck, J. B., & Barker, T. (1974). A typology of police corruption. Social Problems, 21(3), 423–437.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    Kyungmee Kim & Ashok Swain

  2. Research School for International Water Cooperation, UNESCO Category II Centre on International Water Cooperation, Uppsala, Sweden

    Kyungmee Kim & Ashok Swain

Authors
  1. Kyungmee Kim
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  2. Ashok Swain
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Correspondence to Kyungmee Kim .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. China International Water Law (CIWL), School of Law, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China

    David Devlaeminck

  2. Pacific Water Research Centre, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

    Zafar Adeel

  3. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

    Robert Sandford

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Kim, K., Swain, A. (2017). Crime, Corruption, Terrorism and Beyond: A Typology of Water Crime. In: Devlaeminck, D., Adeel, Z., Sandford, R. (eds) The Human Face of Water Security. Water Security in a New World. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50161-1_5

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