The type of environmental crime problem
The case study is on the love canal tragedy, an environmental crime committed in the Neighborhood of Niagara Falls in New York. In this case, the environmental crime committed was the dumping of toxic chemicals in the neighborhood, which caused harm to multiple residents living within the area (Beck, 1979). The love Canal had become a dumpsite for the municipal of Niagara Falls city.
Where did this happen, and when?
The love Canal was developed in the 1890s as a model-planned community but only partially developed. As a result, in the 1920s, it became a dumpsite for Niagara Falls city before being bought in the 1940s by a chemical company that used the site for dumping its chemical byproducts used in manufacturing solvents, dyes, and perfumes (Beck, 1979). The people dumping chemicals in this area did not realize the type of harm they were causing to the residents.
The consequences of the crime on the communities/people involved
The homeowners began experiencing the effects of the chemicals. In the late 1950s to 1970s, there were continuous complaints of odors and substances surfacing near the yards, including in the school playground. Instead of the city council acting, they covered the substances with clay or dirt (Beck, 1979). A study was conducted in the neighborhood, where it was discovered that there was an increase in miscarriages, stillbirths, nervous breakdowns, epilepsy, and urinary tract disorders (Kleiman, 2020). The rate of miscarriage increased by 300%, and children born in the Love canal neighborhood were born with defects such as a double row of teeth, three ears, and mental retardation (Cruz, 2010). This was attributed to the poor chemical disposal and environmental degradation caused by the dumping.
What can be done to deal with the problem effectively?
This was a major problem, which greatly affected many livelihoods in the area. It is manifest that there is a need for the government to develop moor regulations on giving permits to companies. This is to prevent chemical companies from dumping their wastes without caring about the livelihoods of the others. There is also the need for community policing (Kulin & Sevä, 2019). There would have been protests about the dumping prior, where organizations could have critically opposed and used the companies and the government before such an act was committed. There is a need for more non-government agencies and organizations who could have fought to protect and conserve the environment.
Who should be responsible for implementing the suggested response strategies?
Government agencies must implement strategies that can help in environmental protection because they have the resources and the capability to enact laws and enforce them. Non-government organizations can also be responsible for helping create awareness and fights towards ensuring that there is environmental conservation in a neighborhood, location, and country (Kulin & Sevä, 2019). It is also an individual responsibility for every citizen to work towards conserving the environment and reporting any cases of people or companies that go against the rules and laws in place for a better future. Collaborations between the state and non-state agencies and the citizens can greatly help in preventing such future tragedies from occurring.
