Green Criminology

Head of track: Dr. Yifaat Tamarkin-Leider

The modern world is facing existential environmental crises; sustained damage to natural resources, ecosystems, and fauna; and human victims due to environmental crime. The field of Green Criminology expands the classic field of criminality to include study of damages and crimes committed by individuals, companies, and states against the environment, law, policy, and environmental justice from a criminological perspective. Green Criminology is consistent with the growing global attention to the mutual affinity between humans and the environment and to the diverse impact on the environment of technological development, regulation, economics, politics, and so forth.

We believe that humans are playing a central role in damage to the environment; we also believe that humans have tools that can be utilized in order to prevent and reduce environmental damage. A broad understanding of the different causes of crime against the environment constitutes an essential foundation for creating change, from the individual level to the level of the state. This change may be achieved through education to environmental justice, environmental activism, the development and enactment of regulation, and the enforcement of environmental laws. Discussion of environmental issues is no longer a luxury, but part of the citizenship of every individual.

The program seeks to develop and expend criminological discussion of environmental aspects; to inculcate theoretical and practical interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of Green Criminology; to recognize the environmental issues on the global and domestic agenda; and to train law enforcement workers and professionals with environmental awareness and commitment ahead of their integration in enforcement agencies, green organizations, and governmental bodies. We aim to raise awareness in enforcement agencies of issues concerning environmental crime; to encourage the inclusion of environmental considerations in the organizations’ work; to develop citizenship and educational-environmental leadership; and to nurture agents for change with the motivation to initiate bottom-up social and environmental change.

This program is a pioneer in its field in Israel and is unique to Beit Berl College. The innovative nature of the program is due to the combination of criminology with examination of the environment and sustainability. The program meets the needs that have emerged from the field to address the environment and education to sustainability based on love of the environment and a desire to protect it.

The courses combine knowledge in criminology with knowledge in the fields of the environment and sustainability, as well as courses integrating these fields. The faculty includes lecturers from diverse areas, including criminology, law, geography, and Land of Israel Studies.