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Abstract

Game wardens are responsible for protecting natural resources by enforcing fish and wildlife laws. Mounting evidence suggests they may be assuming traditional police duties that leave them with less time for wildlife law enforcement activities. In an effort to understand the situation better, this exploratory study took a qualitative approach to data collection and examined the perceptions of game wardens toward the work they perform. While the results were mixed, the majority of wardens in the study indicated that their duties were expanding. Findings provide support for the idea that conservation law enforcement is becoming more like traditional policing.

Keywords

Conservation law enforcement game wardens Montana policing wildlife

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Game warden perceptions of change in conservation law enforcement

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