Mapping the landscape of environmental crime: A literature review of emerging research themes and future directions

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive review of the environmental crime literature to identify emerging research topics and propose avenues for future investigation. Drawing on bibliometric coupling and content analysis, 91 articles from the Scopus database were examined to map thematic streams and highlight key trends. Three major research clusters emerged: (1) Socialization, market forces, and motivations in environmental crime, emphasizing how social influences and consumer demand drive offenses such as illegal wildlife trade; (2) Geographical impacts and corporate influence in environmental crime, focusing on illegal logging, mining, and the spatial dimensions of environmental harm; and (3) Transnational crime networks and the infrastructure of environmental exploitation, exploring the formation, operation, and global reach of criminal organizations. By synthesizing current knowledge and pinpointing new directions, this review offers valuable insights for scholars and policymakers aiming to enhance our understanding of environmental crime and mitigate its wide-ranging effects. Future research directions for each cluster are provided, with particular attention to incorporating interdisciplinary methods, examining emerging technologies, and refining data collection for more robust analysis and policy development.