Arrest? warn? educate? Correlates of conservation officer discretionary decision-making

Abstract

Discretionary decision-making among traditional law enforcement officers has been the subject of a large amount of extant police research. However, conservation officer discretionary decision-making has received much less scholarly attention. Conservation officers are those that specialize in the enforcement of natural resources laws but have experienced a broadening of their role to encompass more traditional law enforcement duties. Using a sample of conservation officers from fifteen state-level departments of natural resources and departments of conservation, this study examines conservation officer decision-making in relation to specific conservation contexts, as well as from a more traditional policing perspective. Results show that conservation officer discretionary decision-making is influenced by contexts specific to conservation-related duties, as well as more traditional policing contexts. Our findings provide valuable insights for natural resources agencies seeking to enhance their law enforcement operations.

Department(s)

School of Criminology

Document Type

Article

DOI

10.1080/15614263.2026.2627209

Keywords

Conservation law enforcement, decision-making, police discretion, policing

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Journal Title

Police Practice and Research

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