A sociologist provides a crucial perspective on understanding this complex phenomenon.

Thanks to the influence of international organisations, the existence of "environmental criminality" is now recognizable, manifest in such practices as the trafficking of endangered species, the illegal dumping of toxic waste, and the smuggling of natural resources. Organized crime and other clandestine networks are supposedly the principal players and beneficiaries. But what if these depictions are misleading? This clear, accessible book goes beyond the letter of the law to claim that focusing on obvious infractions provides a convenient alibi for the legal vandalism of living things. Is environmental crime then an exception or a misrepresentation?