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Environment can trigger crime
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 There is a motive for any crime that takes place: it could be personal enmity, hatred and other related human aspects. Police collect every minute detail during investigation for a possible clue to identify the culprit. But did you know there are also environmental aspects which need to be considered for evaluating a crime as it can be one of the triggers that set off the crime.
Various weather and environmental parameters, such as prolonged high temperature (heat wave or urban heat pockets), humidity, wind, pollution of air and water and existing living conditions (density of settlement) can greatly influence human behaviour and the probable location of crimes. It is this environmental approach which Chennai city police should also look into as the possible trigger factor for some crimes in some areas.
Some of the recent findings in Chennai include the high suicide rate, particularly recorded at Choolaimedu. Many psychological reasons are mentioned for such increasing occurrence of suicides but there is also an environmental point of view.
Choolaimedu is one of the congested areas in Chennai with high temperature (hotspot area) that can trigger some types of criminal acts. It is this environmental factor which needs the attention of interdisciplinary subject experts. Unfortunately in India, such integrated study has not been attempted to understand the reasons behind some crimes in specific parts of the city.
If such studies are undertaken, police, instead of responding after a
crime is committed, can greatly help to prevent the crime. Environment and weather-related crime studies in France, the UK and US have proved that assault, domestic violence or family disturbance, mortality rate, murder, robbery and suicide were high following high temperature associated with the combination of other meteorological parameters and environmental pollution.
Consider north Chennai, which is the home of notorious criminals and criminal activities. But, considered in a different perspective, the crimes of north Chennai will lead to different conclusions.
North Chennai is dotted with numerous polluting industries with environmental degradation is at its worst. The existing living conditions (high density), pollution of air and water under favourable meteorological and geographical factors can very well trigger even a healthy individual to involve in violent activities.
There was the case of a mother-in-law being killed by her daughter-in-law in Washermanpet (north Chennai) was a sequel to their frequent quarrels. It reached a dangerous level and ended in the death of the old woman. The environmental factors and living conditions cannot be ruled out as triggers for the crime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (USA) obtained the analysis of lead and manganese discharges from the Environmental Protection Agency to determine the possible link between crime and environmental pollution. After controlling for several variables, such as population density and income status, researchers found that higher levels of environmental pollution were associated with violent crimes. Researchers believe that toxic metals break down the inhibition mechanism in the brain, causing natural violent urges to be inadequately controlled.
Also, there have been studies, particularly by human geographers like Alexander von Humboldt, Carl Ritter, Ratzel and Semple, who, from the environmental school of thought, put forth many theories supporting that history, culture, lifestyle and stages of development of a social group, society or nation are exclusively or largely governed by physical factors (terrain, climate, drainage, fauna and flora) of the environment.
Considering the Chennai scenario, police should also seek the help of other crime-related subject specialists in identifying and preventing crimes. For example, meteorologists study the temperature anomaly (urban heat pockets) in a city and that data can be integrated with other geographical and social parameters. This will give reasons behind high temperature, type of human activity (land use practices) responsible for environmental degradation and help identify the hidden link to certain crime types specific to that area.
From the meteorological observatory in Chennai, it was found that the number of days exceeding 40 degrees Celsius had climbed to 15 days in May 2003 from one day in May 1999. Such increase in temperature can be linked to establish a relationship with the recent high rates of crime recorded during the month of May 2003 in Chennai. So, here comes the powerful tool of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) which can map varieties of themes that vary geographically. Similarly, environmentalists and geographers help to identify the degraded areas within the city. When environmental hotspots are mapped in GIS in combination with other themes, it will give a clue to the possible areas which would be vulnerable to some types of crimes.
Also, weather-related natural calamities like drought, flood, cyclone, etc., have been partially responsible for some criminal activities like robbery, looting. These activities are particularly associated with it due to hunger, starvation, inadequacy of essential commodities in the disaster-hit areas, lack of initiation by the agencies, etc.
Here again, the role of criminologists, environmentalists, geographers and meteorologists are greatly emphasised now. They can take proactive measures with cooperation from the police to minimise the occurrence of crimes in the vulnerable areas by implementing various community-based development programmes and other eco-friendly practices like creation of green belts in the high temperature areas, enforcing tougher environmental regulation laws for industrial discharge (air and water), restriction on density of human settlement, etc. Such initiatives will greatly improve living conditions and check such environmental crimes.
From this, it is very clear that to have a safer and crime-free neighbourhood, many subject specialists must come forward and work with the police to prevent the occurrence of crimes rather than responding after the criminal act.
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