An Empirical Test of Techniques of Neutralization Regarding Polluting Behaviors in Rural Iran

Environmental pollution is regarded as a major environmental crime in most countries; Iran is no exception. This study examines water and soil polluting behavior among villagers in Jimabad, Mashhad County—a rural area in the Razavi Khorasan province in the northeastern region of Iran. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from a random sample of 315 respondents in the population of the villagers of Jimabad. This article reports on the levels of water and soil polluting behavior among the respondents and the results are discussed in terms of techniques of neutralization, religiosity and cultural context.