April 2008
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Articles from the special electronic issue of the Flinders Journal of Law Reform, April 2008.
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Browsing April 2008 by Author "Christensen, Warren"
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Item The Prevention of Bushfire Arson through Target Hardening(Flinders University School of Law, 2008-04) Christensen, WarrenAn analysis of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries (Forestry) (DPI&F (Forestry)) Wildfire Data Base indicates that, in comparison to all other DPI&F (Forestry) districts the Beerburrum forestry district is a significant ‘hot spot’ of bushfire arson activity. A situational crime prevention paradigm was used to analyse the Beerburrum forestry district to determine the environmental factors that resulted in this district becoming a ‘hot spot’ of bushfire arson activity. This analysis found that factors such as proximity to population centres, extensive road networks and low levels of staff ‘guardianship’ contributed to the genesis of the Beerburrum bushfire arson ‘hot spot’. The paper argues that situational crime prevention techniques, such as the use of prescribed burns (to reduce ‘payoffs’ to arsonists), can be used to target harden discrete geographical bushfire arson ‘hot spots’, such as Beerburrum, making bushfire arson more difficult, less rewarding and excusable to potential arsonists.Item Regulating our Natural Resources - Farmers Friend or Farmers Foe? Have Regulators got the mix Right?(Flinders University School of Law, 2008-04) Colling, Troy; Christensen, WarrenThere is growing community acceptance of regulatory compliance activities that address the misuse and poor management of our natural resources. However, in some areas and industries, there is still a significant degree of resistance to these programs. Utilising Queensland’s vegetation management processes as a case study, this paper explores a range of criminogenic factors, such as Rational Choice/Routine Activities Theory and Control/Social Bond Theory, that may promote regulatory non-compliance by landholders and the ongoing rejection of regulatory requirements as being excessively restrictive and intrusive. It is argued that this ongoing rejection of regulatory requirements provides evidence of an entrenched view in some areas, that the ‘penalties do not fit the crime’. The paper will also consider how, as part of a balanced approached to compliance, strategies that promote ‘trust’ between regulators and the regulated may ultimately assist in altering these attitudes and improve levels of voluntary regulatory compliance.