Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region

Although the Pacific Islands are strategically located alongside important trade routes, between the Global North and Global South countries and among plentiful fishing grounds, this region is considered among the lowest risk for land‐based organized crime. Grouped as a uniform region, collectively,...

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Main Authors: Jade Lindley, Sarah Lothian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cogitatio 2024-11-01
Series:Ocean and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cogitatiopress.com/oceanandsociety/article/view/8459
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author Jade Lindley
Sarah Lothian
author_facet Jade Lindley
Sarah Lothian
author_sort Jade Lindley
collection DOAJ
description Although the Pacific Islands are strategically located alongside important trade routes, between the Global North and Global South countries and among plentiful fishing grounds, this region is considered among the lowest risk for land‐based organized crime. Grouped as a uniform region, collectively, the Pacific islands are anything but. The region consists of three ethnogeographic subregions with varying colonial, cultural, and legal legacies. Geographically, the Pacific Island states are remote, with small populations dispersed across many islands, some of which are uninhabited, limiting the ability to adequately surveil and protect this extensive maritime domain, creating porous land and sea borders. These challenges increase the complexity of policing the large exclusive economic zones of the region and therefore increase its vulnerability and potential exposure to various transnational organized crimes on land and at sea. Drawing on Kelling and Wilson’s broken windows theory, this article considers from a theoretical perspective, how international law can be used as a framework to guide Pacific Island states in achieving strengthened, region‐led resilience to transnational maritime crime in the pursuit of maritime justice.
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spelling doaj-art-9320df40de6040eba6842cb49fea862c2025-08-20T02:02:57ZengCogitatioOcean and Society2976-09252024-11-011010.17645/oas.84593687Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands RegionJade Lindley0Sarah Lothian1Law School and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, AustraliaAustralian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong, AustraliaAlthough the Pacific Islands are strategically located alongside important trade routes, between the Global North and Global South countries and among plentiful fishing grounds, this region is considered among the lowest risk for land‐based organized crime. Grouped as a uniform region, collectively, the Pacific islands are anything but. The region consists of three ethnogeographic subregions with varying colonial, cultural, and legal legacies. Geographically, the Pacific Island states are remote, with small populations dispersed across many islands, some of which are uninhabited, limiting the ability to adequately surveil and protect this extensive maritime domain, creating porous land and sea borders. These challenges increase the complexity of policing the large exclusive economic zones of the region and therefore increase its vulnerability and potential exposure to various transnational organized crimes on land and at sea. Drawing on Kelling and Wilson’s broken windows theory, this article considers from a theoretical perspective, how international law can be used as a framework to guide Pacific Island states in achieving strengthened, region‐led resilience to transnational maritime crime in the pursuit of maritime justice.https://www.cogitatiopress.com/oceanandsociety/article/view/8459broken windows theorymaritime justicepacific islandssmall island developing statestransnational maritime crime
spellingShingle Jade Lindley
Sarah Lothian
Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
Ocean and Society
broken windows theory
maritime justice
pacific islands
small island developing states
transnational maritime crime
title Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
title_full Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
title_fullStr Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
title_full_unstemmed Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
title_short Exposure to Transnational Maritime Crime in the Pacific Islands Region
title_sort exposure to transnational maritime crime in the pacific islands region
topic broken windows theory
maritime justice
pacific islands
small island developing states
transnational maritime crime
url https://www.cogitatiopress.com/oceanandsociety/article/view/8459
work_keys_str_mv AT jadelindley exposuretotransnationalmaritimecrimeinthepacificislandsregion
AT sarahlothian exposuretotransnationalmaritimecrimeinthepacificislandsregion