Environmental crime
Most environmental crimes are likely never discovered, much less reported.
The most common and prosecuted Environmental Code offences are environmental crimes (e.g., pollution and nuisances), unlawful environmental activities (permission for a certain activity is lacking or the conditions are violated), and littering. The majority of suspects are middle-aged men. The crimes that are detected happen mostly in business activities.
Often authorities that report environmental crime
A licence is needed from a supervisory authority for all activities that are considered to be a risk to the environment. The licence sets out a number of requirements that the operator must satisfy, and oftentimes these requirements become the starting point for suspicion of environmental crime.
Most environmental crimes are likely never discovered, much less reported. Environmental crime often lacks a clear victim, unlike when a person is robbed or assaulted. These crimes are therefore mostly detected by means of supervision and oversight on the part of the authorities. This means that increased supervision has a direct effect on the crime statistics.
In previous years, there have been shortcomings in how environmental crime has been reported in the statistics. A new system provides a better picture of the actual number of reported crimes.
Facts
- 5,600 Environmental Code offences reported (2012)
- 200 individuals prosecuted for environmental crimes (Environmental Code offences) (2010)
- 5 percent of environmental crimes are cleared so that a person can be tied to the crime (2010)
