Endnote
46. It seems to us that the key to ensuring that
environmental crime is properly and effectively dealt with in
courts, so that offenders are robustly punished and deterred from
repeat offences, is co-operation: co-operation between Government
departments, agencies and local authorities in sharing expertise
and in assisting each other wherever possible; co-operation between
those prosecuting and those sentencing to ensure that all are
aware of relevant and practical guidance that explains the gravity
of environmental offences; and co-operation between DEFRA and,
in particular, the Home Office in giving environmental crime the
prominence it deserves and the legislation it needs to be effectively
tackled. The Government has shown itself to be sufficiently
joined-up to begin to tackle anti-social behaviour. It now needs
to ensure that it works in a co-ordinated fashion, and with other
bodies, to tackle the currently poor sentencing record for offences
against the environment. Only by doing so will it effectively
begin to deal with the blight that is environmental crime.
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