Punishing environmental crimes: An empirical study from lower courts to the court of appeal |
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Authors: | Carole M. Billiet Thomas Blondiau Sandra Rousseau |
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Affiliation: | 1. Center for Environmental and Energy Law, Ghent University, , Gent, Belgium;2. Center for Economic Studies, KU Leuven, , Leuven, Belgium;3. Faculty of Business and Economics, KU Leuven, Campus Brussel, , Brussel, Belgium |
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Abstract: | We analyze judicial policy lines concerning the punishment of environmental crime using a unique European dataset of individual criminal cases, including case‐specific information on offenses and offenders. We investigate policy choices made by lower criminal courts, as well as their follow‐up by the relevant court of appeal. The sanctioning policy of the courts has proven to be varied as well as consistent. Judges carefully balance effective and suspended penalties, most often using them cumulatively, but in specific cases opting to use them as substitutes. Overall, both judges in lower and appeal courts balance environmental law and classic criminal law and aim at protecting individuals and their possessions as well as the environment. |
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Keywords: | criminal sanctions environmental crime judicial policy |
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