Rapid assessment of human–elephant conflict: a crime science approach

IF 3.1 Q1 CRIMINOLOGY & PENOLOGY
Mangai Natarajan
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

An interdisciplinary approach has the potential not only to help solve conservation-centric problems but also to enrich and improve evidence-based scientific research. Crime science, an offshoot of criminology, provides a comprehensive, solution-oriented approach that transcends disciplinary boundaries and bridges science and practice for developing effective conservation interventions to real-life problems such as Human Elephant Conflict (HEC). This paper focuses on HEC as a conservation concern, but the resultant behaviors toward elephants, people, and their property are criminology’s concern. Using the Action Research paradigm, a rapid assessment of human–elephant conflict (HEC) in India was undertaken to identify contextual solutions. This study utilized problem-oriented field research methods that enabled the gathering of data on elephant habitat-landscape, villagers’ lifestyle (habitat) in the fringe areas, their current approaches in dealing with the conflict, the challenges forest officials face to mitigate HEC, and the assistance provided by district administrators to protect villagers and their corps and HEC-related deaths. The qualitative inquiry, including observation of village-forest fringe areas, focus group discussions with villagers, and interviews with forest officers and rangers, and district administrators/collectors who are handlers, guardians, and managers of the conflict space, provided rich data in identifying situational practical measures and underscored the role of crime science in providing a conceptual framework to gather evidence in addressing HEC in forest areas. The findings of the research suggest that human–animal convergence space is the source (or location) of conflict and criminology-driven situational crime prevention measures, including increasing effort, risks, reducing rewards and provocations, and removing excuses might mitigate the conflict, requiring coordinated efforts by villagers, forest and district administrators, and local law enforcers.

Abstract Image

快速评估人象冲突:犯罪学方法
跨学科方法不仅可以帮助解决以保护为中心的问题,还可以丰富和改进以证据为基础的科学研究。犯罪学是犯罪学的一个分支,它提供了一种全面的、以解决方案为导向的方法,这种方法超越了学科界限,在科学与实践之间架起了一座桥梁,可以针对人象冲突(HEC)等现实问题制定有效的保护干预措施。本文重点关注的是作为保护问题的人象冲突,但犯罪学关注的是由此产生的针对大象、人类及其财产的行为。本研究采用行动研究范式,对印度的人象冲突(HEC)进行了快速评估,以找出相应的解决方案。这项研究采用了以问题为导向的实地研究方法,收集了有关大象栖息地景观、边缘地区村民的生活方式(栖息地)、他们目前处理冲突的方法、森林官员在缓解人象冲突方面面临的挑战、地区行政人员为保护村民及其兵团和人象冲突导致的死亡所提供的援助等方面的数据。定性调查包括对村庄-森林边缘地区的观察、与村民的焦点小组讨论、对森林官员和护林员以及作为冲突空间的处理者、监护者和管理者的地区行政人员/收集者的访谈,这些调查为确定情景实用措施提供了丰富的数据,并强调了犯罪学在提供概念框架以收集证据解决森林地区的人类活动相关问题方面的作用。研究结果表明,人与动物的融合空间是冲突的根源(或地点),而犯罪学驱动的情景犯罪预防措施,包括增加努力、风险、减少奖励和挑衅,以及消除借口,可能会缓解冲突,这需要村民、森林和地区管理者以及当地执法人员的协调努力。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Crime Science
Crime Science Social Sciences-Cultural Studies
CiteScore
11.90
自引率
8.20%
发文量
12
审稿时长
13 weeks
期刊介绍: Crime Science is an international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal with an applied focus. The journal''s main focus is on research articles and systematic reviews that reflect the growing cooperation among a variety of fields, including environmental criminology, economics, engineering, geography, public health, psychology, statistics and urban planning, on improving the detection, prevention and understanding of crime and disorder. Crime Science will publish theoretical articles that are relevant to the field, for example, approaches that integrate theories from different disciplines. The goal of the journal is to broaden the scientific base for the understanding, analysis and control of crime and disorder. It is aimed at researchers, practitioners and policy-makers with an interest in crime reduction. It will also publish short contributions on timely topics including crime patterns, technological advances for detection and prevention, and analytical techniques, and on the crime reduction applications of research from a wide range of fields. Crime Science publishes research articles, systematic reviews, short contributions and theoretical articles. While Crime Science uses the APA reference style, the journal welcomes submissions using alternative reference styles on a case-by-case basis.
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