Corruption as a factor in urban environmental crime

Abstract

The proposed article is devoted to studying issues related to the scientific and practical understanding of the impact of corruption on environmental crime in cities. Based on the analysis of empirical data, the authors conclude the existence of objective causes of environmental crime in cities and its high latency. Along with high urbanization, the Russian economy has been focusing on mining since Soviet times. Combustion of hydrocarbons, automobile fuel, gas, and large industrial enterprises seriously degrades the ecological situation, especially in industrial cities. At the same time, according to the authors, corruption acts as a bright background for committing environmental crimes. The article states the coincidence of the most common causes and conditions of corruption and environmental attitudes (low income of officials; low morale and ethical qualities of officials, shortcomings of the current legislation), which indicates a close correlation between corruption and environmental crime. In addition, it is proposed to strengthen the specialized environmental function of government bodies, including prosecutors, including the creation of such bodies in all environmentally disadvantaged cities, as well as the inclusion of civil society institutions and environmental activists in the state environmental monitoring system, subject to the appropriate conditions.