Preventive social and cultural components of committing green crimes (case study: Kashan city)

The environment and necessity of preserving it, is important and vital issues of the present era. It is one of the dimensions of achieving sustainable development. Then, the lack of human life and societies without having a healthy environment is obvious to everybody. The aim of present study is to identify and investigate the social and cultural factors of committing environmental crimes of Kashani citizens by mixed method (qualitative-quantitative). In the qualitative section by using semi-structured interview method, theme analysis and MAXQDA software, social and cultural factors related to green crimes were identified. Then, in the quantitative part, the existence, direction and coefficient rate of independent variables with dependent variable were evaluated using survey method and questionnaire. The minimum number of samples was estimated to be 358 according to Cochran formula. However, at the discretion of the supervisor, the samples were upgraded to 481 people. After collecting data, they were analyzed by SPSS 22 software. The results of correlation tests indicate that the variables of citizenship culture, environmental awareness, religiosity and national identity are related to committing environmental crimes. Moreover, the results of regression analyses shows that all the independent variables have the significant and reverse influence on green crimes. Thus, by promoting the culture of citizenship, environmental awareness, religiosity and national identity, committing environmental crimes will reduce. Therefore, citizenship and environmental education to public and getting familiar with Islamic and Iranian identity is suggested in order to prevent environmental crimes.