Water Crimes and Governance: The Slovenian Perspective

The demand for water is increasing due to its finite availability and a water-dependent world whose population is growing every day. It is important that there is not only enough water, but that the water is safe for human consumption and use in agriculture. Water crimes include various offences ranging from the pilfering of water from pipelines, to water pollution, to the illegal trafficking of water. These crimes are challenging to detect, investigate, and prosecute. This article presents a case study from the Republic of Slovenia. Owing to its geographical position, Slovenia has a wealth of natural resources, and even though it is one of the smallest countries in Europe, it is one of the richest regarding water resources. In this study, the nature of crimes against water resources, as well as challenges regarding water governance and the policing of water crimes, will be discussed from the perspective of green and rural criminology. Although Slovenia is one of the few countries in the world that within its Constitution has protected the right of people to have access to water, water resources have once again become endangered in 2021 owing to the alleged greed of politicians, corporations and individuals who treat water as an attractive target for profit by illegal means. Rural (green) criminology must expand to include the fields of water protection and prevention of water crimes.