The Role of Judicial Criminal Policies in Protecting Natural Resources (Based on the Viewpoints of Judges)

Addressing the level of support provided for natural resources given the speed of their destruction and the threats they face, can be considered as one of the priorities in criminal justice policies. In this study, the legal aspects of criminal justice policies in regards to criminal and non-criminal protection of natural resources is analyzed. The present study deals with an applicable and problem-oriented subject and uses an analytical and descriptive method for its research. The purpose of this study is, to explore and present a solution under the jurisdiction of criminal justice policies to help protect natural resources and to identify the shortcomings and gaps in this field. Information was gathered via interviews and the study of judicial procedures was employed to ensure the protection of natural resources.Having assessed the current state of Iran's criminal justice policies regarding the subject under investigation, an appropriate model of criminal and non-criminal judicial prevention in the field of natural resource protection is presented. This paper concludes that it is necessary to abolish the old, inefficient and comprehensive laws regarding the protection of natural resources and that it is vital to complement the laws in this field. This would in turn lead to the creation of a coherent and unified inter-judicial criminal policy.