Beyond Enforcement: Advancing General Strain Theory to Support Wildlife Crime Prevention in Vietnam

Keywords: conservation, conservation criminology, protected areas, wildlife crime prevention, general strain theory, socio-environmental strains
Abstract Type: Poster Abstract

Abstract

Reducing wildlife crime remains a critical issue for biodiversity conservation, influenced by ecological, economic, and social factors. This challenge is evident in Pu Mat National Park (PMNP), Vietnam, where the intersections of conservation, local livelihoods, and wildlife crime have rendered traditional law enforcement ineffective, prompting calls for innovative approaches. This study adapts General Strain Theory (GST) from criminology to conservation geography to inform more effective wildlife crime prevention.

We compared the established strain types (loss, inability to reach goals, negative stimuli) and five strain dimensions (economic, human, sociocultural, political, protective) to the wildlife crime context in PMNP, introducing four additional environment-related dimensions: land accessibility, environmental conditions, human-wildlife conflict, and remoteness. Using mixed-method fieldwork (3 seasons: 2 in 2023, 1 in 2024) in 17 communities, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 45; 2023), focus groups (n = 36, 93 participants; 2023), and participatory mapping (n = 30; 2024). We used deductive-inductive coding and QGIS for spatial data analysis.

Key results include a) the applicability of GST for understanding wildlife crime contexts, b) identification of four new environmental strain dimensions, and c) impacts of the strains on existing dimensions, particularly related to proximity to park boundaries, road conditions, and land access. Participants indicated that past strains affect present ones, suggesting spatio-temporal strain patterns linked to conservation law enforcement and demographic shifts.

Our enhanced GST framework offers new entry points for locating, addressing, and reversing strains to support wildlife crime prevention. Future research could explore socio-environmental differences among communities, focusing on ethnicity, migration, and social inequalities.