Combatting Environmental Crime: Enforcement and Prosecution

Combatting Environmental Crime: Enforcement and Prosecution

1.What roles do the two primary federal agencies who deal with environmental crimes (the EPA and the DOJ) play in the enforcement and prosecution of environmental crimes? Explain the roles and relationships between agencies and why these matter. Who deals with environmental crime at the state and local level (name them), and what are the responsibilities of the different state and local officials (explain)? What is the difference between federal enforcement and prosecution vs. state and local enforcement and prosecution? What are the roles of persecutors and judges in the prosecution and sentencing of environmental offenders? Why does this matter? How does all of this help to explain the current state of environmental crime enforcement and prosecution in the United States? Make sure to fully flesh out and explain your points.

2.Most of the punishments applied to environmental offenders are monetary, and most offenses are punished organizationally (meaning the organization as a whole is fined rather than individuals). However, we know that monetary fines are not very consequential for environmental offenders and that most organizations who consistently pollute or violate environmental crimes factor in the cost of fines as part of doing business (i.e., the fines dont matter, because it is cheaper to pay the fines than to not violate the law). Considering all of this, how do you think environmental offenders should be punished? Should individuals who work for an organization be held criminally liable? Should offenders serve jail time (i.e., corporate officials)? Should companies be given the death penalty? Develop an argument for how these sorts of crimes should be punished and explain your points.