The Camouflaged Crime: Perceptions of Poaching in Southern Appalachia
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East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2021 The Camouflaged Crime: erP ceptions of Poaching in Southern Appalachia Randi Miller East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons Recommended Citation Miller, Randi, "The Camouflaged Crime: erP ceptions of Poaching in Southern Appalachia" (2021). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3919. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3919 This Thesis - unrestricted is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Camouflaged Crime: Perceptions of Poaching in Southern Appalachia ________________________ A thesis presented to the faculty of the Department of Criminal Justice East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Criminal Justice ______________________ by Randi Marie Miller May 2021 _____________________ Dustin Osborne, Ph.D., Chair Larry Miller, Ph.D. Chris Rush, Ph.D. Keywords: conservation officers, poaching, southern appalachia, rural crime ABSTRACT The Camouflaged Crime: Perceptions of Poaching in Southern Appalachia by Randi Marie Miller The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of poaching within the Southern Appalachian Region. To date, little research has been conducted on the general topic of poaching and no studies have focused on this Region. Several research questions were pursued, including perceptions of poacher motivations, methods and concern regarding apprehension and punishment. The study gathered data through qualitative interviews with 27 conservation officers and outdoorsmen located in Southern Appalachia to address these questions. Results provided useful information regarding the unique characteristics of the poaching problem within the Region, which are discussed in detail. Implications and directions for future research are also covered. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My biggest support is my family and without them this study and my education would have never happened. First, I want to thank my parents and my brother Chris, thank you for sacrificing everything to make this happen and never giving up on me. Adam thank you for showing endless amounts of support and constantly being my rock through the whole process. Phillip and Vicky thank you for your support and constant wisdom throughout my journey. Uncle Earl and Aunt Beverly, thank you for your unconditional love, support and encouragement from miles away. I know my academic journey has not been the easiest, but you guys have made it the best experience. I hope I have made you all proud! Most importantly, the faculty in the Criminal Justice Department have been phenomenal! My thesis chair, Dr. Osborne, has worked diligently to ensure my achievement for this thesis, and as a student. As many have said, he goes above and beyond to help each one of us within the department and I could not be more appreciative of him. Also, my committee members, Dr. Miller and Dr. Rush, thank you for your continuous support through my time as an undergraduate and a graduate student along with your support during my thesis. Dr. Miller’s insights and knowledge of the criminal justice field has provided the greatest learning experience along with great stories. Dr. Rush’s wisdom and courage has helped many, including myself, with their academic career and displayed what it is to be a professor and mentor. My fellow peers who have made this experience unforgettable. Bailey, Brianna, Caroline, Gabi, Logan, Mary, Riley, Rychelle, and Trey thank you for the constant support and unforgettable memories that we have made over the past two years. I will forever cherish these memories. Lastly, it was an honor to talk and learn from the conservation officers and hunters 3 that participated in this study. Without their insight and knowledge, none of this would be possible. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................... 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ 3 Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 8 Historical Aspect of Poaching and Wildlife Laws ...................................................................... 9 The United States of America ................................................................................................... 11 Current Status of Conservation Laws ....................................................................................... 12 Conservation Officers ............................................................................................................... 13 Targets of Poaching .................................................................................................................. 14 Poaching of Wildlife ............................................................................................................. 14 Poaching of Ichthyology ....................................................................................................... 16 Poaching of Flora .................................................................................................................. 16 Current Study ............................................................................................................................ 18 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 2. Literature Review .................................................................................................... 19 Poacher Characteristics, Typologies and Techniques ............................................................... 19 Typologies of Poachers and Techniques............................................................................... 19 Poacher Characteristics ......................................................................................................... 24 Typologies of Conservation Officers and Techniques.......................................................... 24 Motivations and Perceptions of Poachers ................................................................................. 26 Focal Concerns Theory ......................................................................................................... 26 Techniques of Neutralization ................................................................................................ 28 Folk Crime ............................................................................................................................ 30 Subculture Theories .............................................................................................................. 31 Routine Activity Theory ....................................................................................................... 32 The Current Study ..................................................................................................................... 32 R1: What forms of poaching are common within the Region? ............................................ 33 R2: What characteristics are common among poachers within the Region? ........................ 33 R3: What motivates poachers to disregard hunting and fishing laws and regulations?........ 33 R4: What factors infulence the ability of conservation officers to detect and apprehend poachers? ...................................................................................................... 33 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 34 5 Chapter 3. Data and Methodology ............................................................................................ 35 Sample ...................................................................................................................................... 35 Interview Guide ........................................................................................................................ 36 Introductory Section.............................................................................................................. 36 Research Question #1 ........................................................................................................... 37 Research Question #2 ........................................................................................................... 38 Research Question #3 ........................................................................................................... 38 Research Question #4 ........................................................................................................... 39 Method of Analysis ................................................................................................................... 39 Chapter Summary ..................................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 4. Results ....................................................................................................................