Conservation, wildlife crime, and tough on crime policies: Lessons from the criminological literature
Abstract As wildlife crime increasingly threatens global biodiversity, many conservation scientists and practitioners have turned to aggressive land management and criminal justice strategies, particularly use of force policies in protected areas and punitive sentencing laws for poaching and trafficking violations. However, evaluative studies on "tough on crime" sentencing policies generally support the conclusion that such an approach has not only proved ineffective at reducing crime rates and recidivism (re offending) but is ultimately harmful to individuals, communities, and state economies. Here we briefly review the deterrence theory and tough on crime literature, examine wildlife crime sentencing policies in the context of criminological understanding, and outline alternative approaches for those working on wildlife crime. The perspective offered here is part of the ongoing discourse on the merits and drawbacks of severe tactics in addressing wildlife crime, and specifically aims to encourage an interdisciplinary dialogue between criminology and conservation science.