WCC Final Exam Questions with
Complete Solutions11
Environmental Decade - ANSWERS-1970s; There was an increase in environmental legislation at
both state and federal levels
Environmental Crime - ANSWERS-involves businesses or individuals illegally polluting or
destroying the environment as part of an occupational activity
Illegal emissions - ANSWERS-Occurs when companies illegally release pollutants into the
environment; Type of environmental crime
Illegal dumping - ANSWERS-Occurs when businesses dump products in sites that are not legally
recognized as dumping sites; Type of environmental crime
Why does illegal dumping occur? - ANSWERS-Usually as a way to reduce spending/increase
profit; Could also result from negligence
Environmental state crime - ANSWERS-Criminal behavior by a government employee that
causes harm to the environment and/or individuals; Type of environmental crime
International environmental crimes - ANSWERS-Environmental crime that transcends the
borders of 2 different countries or occurs in internationally protected areas; Type of
environmental crime
Harmful destruction of property and wildlife - ANSWERS-Occurs as result of the actions of
individuals and companies during their work; Type of environmental crime
, Volkswagen emissions scandal - ANSWERS-Volkswagen intentionally programmed diesel engines
to activate their emissions controls only during laboratory emission testing
They were ordered to pay $2.8Billion in criminal fines. The CEO was charged with fraud and
conspiracy
Consequences of environmental crime - ANSWERS-1) Difficult to determine physical costs
2) States pay billions of dollars each year bc of pollution
3)Quality of life is diminished in areas of environmental crime. Minority and low-income
communities are most at risk
Main duties of the Environmental Protection Agency - ANSWERS-1) Establish & enforce
protection policies
2) Conduct research on effects of pollution
3) Assist others in their efforts to reduce pollution
4) Develop and recommend policies to the President
3 problems in addressing environmental crime - ANSWERS-1) Media portrayals of
environmental crime: Media typically provides little info on environmental crimes; the info they
do provide often gives the public and policy makers a distorted view of the events
2) Evidentiary issues: Difficult to determine harm and the amount of permissible pollution; hard
to identify responsibility; overall lack of enforcement
3) Empirical void: Overall lack of research on environmental crime; difficulties in conceptualizing
environmental crime; difficult to study given its global nature
Kurland & Pires Assesing US Wildlife Patterns - ANSWERS-1)Wildlife offenses are one of the
most profitable forms of organized crime, only after illegal drugs and firearms
2) Used archival research- research using records or databases; case records, pre-sentencing
reports
Complete Solutions11
Environmental Decade - ANSWERS-1970s; There was an increase in environmental legislation at
both state and federal levels
Environmental Crime - ANSWERS-involves businesses or individuals illegally polluting or
destroying the environment as part of an occupational activity
Illegal emissions - ANSWERS-Occurs when companies illegally release pollutants into the
environment; Type of environmental crime
Illegal dumping - ANSWERS-Occurs when businesses dump products in sites that are not legally
recognized as dumping sites; Type of environmental crime
Why does illegal dumping occur? - ANSWERS-Usually as a way to reduce spending/increase
profit; Could also result from negligence
Environmental state crime - ANSWERS-Criminal behavior by a government employee that
causes harm to the environment and/or individuals; Type of environmental crime
International environmental crimes - ANSWERS-Environmental crime that transcends the
borders of 2 different countries or occurs in internationally protected areas; Type of
environmental crime
Harmful destruction of property and wildlife - ANSWERS-Occurs as result of the actions of
individuals and companies during their work; Type of environmental crime
, Volkswagen emissions scandal - ANSWERS-Volkswagen intentionally programmed diesel engines
to activate their emissions controls only during laboratory emission testing
They were ordered to pay $2.8Billion in criminal fines. The CEO was charged with fraud and
conspiracy
Consequences of environmental crime - ANSWERS-1) Difficult to determine physical costs
2) States pay billions of dollars each year bc of pollution
3)Quality of life is diminished in areas of environmental crime. Minority and low-income
communities are most at risk
Main duties of the Environmental Protection Agency - ANSWERS-1) Establish & enforce
protection policies
2) Conduct research on effects of pollution
3) Assist others in their efforts to reduce pollution
4) Develop and recommend policies to the President
3 problems in addressing environmental crime - ANSWERS-1) Media portrayals of
environmental crime: Media typically provides little info on environmental crimes; the info they
do provide often gives the public and policy makers a distorted view of the events
2) Evidentiary issues: Difficult to determine harm and the amount of permissible pollution; hard
to identify responsibility; overall lack of enforcement
3) Empirical void: Overall lack of research on environmental crime; difficulties in conceptualizing
environmental crime; difficult to study given its global nature
Kurland & Pires Assesing US Wildlife Patterns - ANSWERS-1)Wildlife offenses are one of the
most profitable forms of organized crime, only after illegal drugs and firearms
2) Used archival research- research using records or databases; case records, pre-sentencing
reports
