MAPPING ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME

摘要

Information technology applied to generate computer maps of "up-to-the-hour" crime data in metropolitan areas today gives police departments of the world a distinct advantage in criminal investigations. Significant and serviceable patterns exposed by these maps show the location, character and distribution of crime. Such computer-generated maps also aid in the conceptualization of the scope of environmental crime, a phenomenon of the late 20th century. Existing national and international environmental legislation, regulations and standards form the framework for prosecuting those involved in environmental crime. The challenge is to identify environmental crime perpetrated in the natural realms of land, air, water and biota. In the U.S., laws such as the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act help define this effort while on the international scene, treaties between nations serve the same purpose. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) outlines much of the environmental crime involving the technology of the built environment, mostly relying on data from industry. International organizations seek to set standards to prevent technological "crimes against humanity" such as oceanic oil spills or accidents with nuclear technology. Mapping of environmental data often reveals point sources of pollution. Clues pointing to pollution endangering public health include the mapping of cancer clusters, autism clusters and other diseases. Clues indicating the potential for environmental crime arise from mapping of spatial distributions. Causal chains also provide clues for the collection of environmental data to be mapped. Some of the most puzzling large scale environmental situations are characterized by scientific controversy and uncertainty. The challenge is to apply a wide assortment of cartographic methods to map these issues in order to provide clues about these vexing environmental problems. For the recently published atlas on crime, this research sought both a suitable conceptual outline for review of environmental crime and appropriate graphic images to depict the status of efforts to combat such offenses. Selection of a wide assortment of cartographic products was necessary to represent the broad variety of subjects covered under environmental crime. Among these are a time lapse polar projection which portrays the globsal spread of Chernobyl's radiation in the atmosphere. Aerial photographs trace the pollution of land at Love Canal over time. Transposing the extent of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Price William Sound Alaska to a map of a comparable size north-south stretch of the East coast of the United States illustrates the scale of that environmental degradation. A map of graduated symbols represents oil spills of the world ocean revealing both the regional and worldwide threat to the sea. Both satellite imagery or a simple data graph can aid those attempting to visualize the loss of ozone high over Earth's poles. Generally, aerial photography and satellite images complement time series computer maps to delineate trends in abuse of the environment. Future development of geographic information systems (GIS) encompassing the global environment could add even more meaningful tools for addressing environmental crime.