Green Crime and Criminal Psychology: Understanding Environmental Offenses and Real-World Case Studies

A New Scientist interview with a criminal psychologist dives into the idea of applying criminal psychology to environmental crime, asking what motivates people who harm the planet. The discussion lays out six pillars that recur in environmental offenses ease, impunity, rationalization, conformity, greed, and desperation and argues that no one is innately immune to committing environmental crimes. Through memorable case studies such as ivory trafficking, the Deepwater Horizon spill, and Volkswagen Dieselgate, the conversation links psychology to organized-crime dynamics, regulatory gaps, and the long arc of prevention. The talk also touches radicalization pathways, climate denial, and strategies for communicating conservation effectively. The thread running through is that understanding minds can help stop harm and that progress is possible with targeted actions.

Introduction

The discussion centers on applying criminal psychology to environmental crime, a field often overshadowed by violence-focused true crime. The guest argues that viewing environmental criminals through the lens of serious crime (analogies to serial killers or drug gangs) can elevate the seriousness of environmental offenses and illuminate opportunities for prevention.

The Six Pillars of Environmental Crime

The guest outlines six recurring factors that drive environmental crimes: ease, impunity, rationalization, conformity, greed, and desperation. Each pillar is explained with examples of how they operate in large-scale, cross-border offenses such as illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, and illicit fishing. The discussion emphasizes that greed is not purely about money, but about taking more than needed and harming others, while desperation captures poverty and being cornered into criminal choices.

From Memory to Justice

The host shifts to memory science, memory faults, and the role of expert witnesses in cases where memory is the key evidence. The conversation illustrates how people can become motivated witnesses through memory reconstruction or implanted memories, which has critical implications for criminal trials and the pursuit of justice.

Environmental Crime as a Field of Study

The dialogue contrasts everyday violent crime with environmental crime, arguing that the latter often unfolds over months or years and involves organized structures and cross-border networks. This longer timescale changes how psychologists think about intervention and prevention, including strategies to interrupt the paths people take toward committing environmental offenses.

Case Studies

The guests discuss several pivotal cases. Ivory trafficking in Mozambique and China illustrates how undercover investigators infiltrate wildlife crime syndicates to dismantle networks. The Deepwater Horizon spill is presented as a negligence and cover-up case, highlighting how corporations can ignore negative information and resist preventative action. Volkswagen Dieselgate is used to examine greenwashing and the consequences of deceptive environmental claims, plus the importance of robust regulation and enforcement.

Regulation, Messaging, and Public Perception

Beyond case specifics, the interview covers the role of regulators, the need for better funding, and the idea of choice architecture that can steer consumer decisions toward sustainability. Climate denialism and climate-related messaging are discussed, with emphasis on tailoring communication to different audiences and reframing environmental issues in accessible, value-driven terms.

Emotions and Hope

The conversation explores eco anger as a motivator for action, eco anxiety as a barrier to clear thinking, and the idea that anger and clear information can drive change. The guest closes on a hopeful note, pointing to successes in prosecutions and enforcement that demonstrate progress is possible when investigators, lawyers, and regulators work together, resulting in what she calls angry optimism.

Conclusion

The discussion ends with a call to fund regulators, strengthen enforcement, and reframe how society treats environmental crime as a matter of survival and justice for ecosystems and communities alike.