| Present day state level conservation policing emerged from a series of legislative reforms dating back to the Progressive Movement. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this study was to provide a thorough explanation of legislative reforms that contributed to the reorganization and improvement of conservation policing from its beginnings to the present.;Using legislative evidence extracted from archived historical records (i.e., state statutes and codes), the chronological development of state conservation agencies was dismantled from start to finish that allowed for pattern identifications in the subsequent legislative reorganization of all 50 state conservation agencies. A cross-sectional analysis of primary and secondary data designed for future scholars was also provided that included legislative, organizational, and personnel attributes typical of modern conservation law enforcement. These data were obtained from archived and official records in addition to supplementary online data made available by Sam Houston State University's Newton Gresham Library, the 50 state conservation agencies, and state and federal government agencies (e.g., historical commissions, State Department of Human Resources, budget offices, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, et cetera).;Manifest content analysis was the research methodology used to support the empirical study of communication content. Thus, utilizing a content analysis was deemed appropriate for this study given that it allowed for the gathering and coding of data to emerge that ranged from the presence of certain words, concepts, phrases, et cetera in answer to seven research questions.;As evidenced by each state's individual mandates, all acts retrieved from the available data files strongly implied that establishment of the State Fish and Game Warden service preceded any legislation that extended jurisdiction to state agencies which included game. Prior to jurisdictions' duties being broadened to existing fish commissions, for example, state game laws as well as state fish laws were assumed to be responsibilities assigned to local law enforcement. In conclusion, this study was conducted in order to measure a subcategory of conservation law enforcement's socio-history: the state game warden service.;KEY WORDS: Conservation law enforcement, State game warden, Gamekeeper, Fish warden, Socio-historical, Sparticus, Scarlet, Progressive Era, Natural resources, Environmental protection. |
