Introduction
Crime against Nature is a book written by Karl Jacoby which exposes the hidden history of three first domains. The author’s purpose for writing the book was to erase the current boundaries between social and environmental history. He states that there is a need for a social history that is connected to rural life and environmental affiliation. He reveals the complicated reality that the existing story about conservation has long masked. Jacoby aims at recreating the moral universe that shaped local transgressions of conservation laws. Considering this, Jacoby addresses the traditional beliefs and practices of the natives. The author also states that there is a need for a history that man and nature are not two separate units. About this, the author mainly focuses on the conflicts between residents and some conservational agents who are in three well-known parks. Karl Jacoby was able to accomplish his goals mainly because of some people who assisted him. Some of the people who helped the author are Howard Lamar and Bill Cronon who had directed his thesis in which the document is founded. The author also acknowledges the assistance of his colleagues at Oberlin College who assisted him with motivation. While carrying out his book project, the author was lucky to meet many accommodating librarians and researchers. One of the aims of this paper is to address the purpose and the thesis of Karl Jacoby in his book, Crime against Nature. The paper discusses the author, the institution from which he earned his Ph.D., his background, and other publications. The paper also discusses the major issues of the book, accesses the arguments made and the evidence used to support such arguments. Finally, the paper discusses what criminology involves and examines the legal aspects that the author supports.
Karl Jacoby’s profile
Karl Jacoby is the author of the book ‘Crimes against Nature: Squatters, Poachers, Thieves and the Hidden History of American Conservation. His book was awarded the Littleton-Gris world Prize by the American Historical Association. Jacoby’s book had emerged the best on American law and society. Apart from that, the book was awarded the George Perkins Marsh prize by the American Society as it was the best in environmental history. Jacoby is not the only author but also a professor of history who received his A.B. in 1987 from Brown University. In the year 1997, Jacoby got his Ph.D. in American history from Yale University. He went to Oberlin College for a year as a visiting professor and then went back to Brown University in 1999, as an assistant professor of history. Later, the author was promoted to be an associate professor and became a full professor in the year 2009(Jacoby 1).
Major issues
Although there are various issues that Jacoby addresses in his book, he majorly addresses the history behind three of the nation’s first parklands. The parklands include the Adirondacks, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon. Jacoby focuses on conservation’s impact on people living in the local environment and outlines the effects of criminalization. In his book, the author regards hunting, fishing, foraging, and timber cutting as criminal activities. To find basic answers, the author analyzes the nature of the crimes against the local people. Jacoby realized that the three cases mentioned would have some effects on residents in case they were regulated. These were some conservation movements that were to be followed by the residents who were bound to oppose them. As for the Yellowstone, regulations would criminalize the practices used in the indigenous lands. Adirondack was a park that was surrounded by some communities. Such regulations would limit the usage of the forest by the natives. Jacoby says that residents were frustrated by path-breaking strategies that were being used to safeguard the forest. The idea of creating the first national park was hindered by non-Indians who used the land for hunting, timber harvesting, and grazing. This meant that every regulation in every case would have adverse effects on the natives. In his book, Jacoby talks of how the conservation movement is important in the environment (Jacoby 122). He says that the movement is best known for what Richard Grove had once expressed as a “pantheon of conservationist prophets” (Jacoby 1). Unethical practices like squatting, illegal hunting, and timber stealing were common in most parts of the national forests.
According to the author, the movement was started in Europe during the 1700s when scientific forestry was developed. There was a growing need to conserve the environment, although the natives were reluctant to comply (Jacoby 52). The locals were still rooted in their traditional practices which were a menace to the environment. Conservation was a movement that had been supported by conservationists like Bernhard Fernow and Carl Schenk who gave it more insight into their work (Jacoby 4). Jacoby bases his various pieces of evidence on some works by other authors such as Louise’s book, The Hunter’s game. He also bases his arguments on various researches carried out in places like Adirondack Museum. The author uses his diverse findings to support his work regarding the environment. To give more understanding of the traditional ways that governed the locals, Jacoby focuses on moral ecology. He says that ecology is important as it gives a vision of nature and how it should be used. The author, therefore, bases some of his critiques on this ecological fact.
Crimes
In the book, practices such as hunting, fishing, foraging as trespassing, cutting trees, and setting fires were regarded as criminal activities. These were customary activities for the residents who did not welcome the idea of criminalization. For the natives, the criminalization of the practices denied them the opportunity to continue with their daily activities. American lawmakers are known to have redefined what comprised of lawful practices that were environmentally friendly (Jacoby 77). However, these laws changed over the years when comprehensive rules governing the use of the environment were imposed. To create new rules; there was a need to define new forms of crime. The new environmental rules included legitimization of conservation practices by the residents (Jacoby 78). Breaking the law was a deviant action and those who violated the environmental rules would be penalized. Jacoby says that Law and its converse are the identical axes around which history of conservation circles.
Conclusion
Environmental conservation is a fundamental issue that helps to safeguard the existing surrounding. People ought to treat nature with value to retain its significance. Activities such as hunting and cutting down of trees should be completely shunned because they deprive the value of nature. Jacoby’s book is practical as it addresses issues that concern environmental issues. His book is also useful as it gives more insight into primary issues that affect conservation.
Works cited
Jacoby, Karl. Crime Against Nature: Squatters, Poachers, Thieves and the Hidden History of American Conservation. New York: University of California press. 2001, print