Which of the following is NOT one of the
1 fundamental elements invoked to explain 2 Interactionism (Labeling) Theory
criminal behavior?
Historical Development of the concept of
3 Social Control Theory 4 White Collar
(Chapter 1)
Don't know?
Terms in this set (126)
First, and perhaps foremost, white collar crime is a serious problem in our society.
Estimates from FBI suggest that far more is lost to white collar crimes than to traditional
property crimes such as larceny, robbery and burglary.
Second, unlike some offense types, it is important to recognize that white collar crime
Why Study White Collar Crime?
offenses affects everyone. White collar crimes tend to have large numbers of victims,
(Chapter 1)
i.e., Madoff, Enron, MF Global.
Third, it is important to study white collar crime so that effective prevention and
intervention systems and policies can be developed for the whole array of white collar
offenses.
Chapters one and two address the historical development of the concept of white
collar crime;
crucial elements of white collar crime, i.e., trust, respectability, and risk;
the role of media and other agents in shaping our image of white collar crime;
those who expose white collar crime, from whistleblowers to investigative reporters to
Historical Development of the concept of
criminologists, prosecutors, academic scholars and social scientists;
White Collar
(Chapter 1)
the challenges involved and the specific methods used in studying white collar crime;
perceptions of white collar crime relative to other types of crime, e.g. the "movement"
against white collar crime, such as it is, has emerged more slowly and less vigorously
than longstanding social movement against conventional crime:;
the measurement of costs and extent of white collar crime; and the victims of white
collar crime.
"Chinese Puzzle"
What is White-Collar Crime?
(Chapter 1) -According to Friedrichs "Which ever way one turns with it, new difficulties and
conundrums are encountered"
White collar crime is a generic term for the whole range of illegal, prohibited, and
demonstrably harmful activities involving a violation of a private or public trust
Generally, According to Friedrichs:
committed by institutions and individuals occupying a legitimate, respectable status
(Chapter 1)
and directed toward a financial advantage or the maintenance and extension of power
and privilege.
,David O. Friedrichs "Give up the illusion that White Collar Crime can or even should have a single meaning
(Chapter 1) or definition".
White-collar crimes cost the United States more than $300 billion annually according
to the FBI.
National White Collar Crime Center established in 1992.
White-collar crimes are fraud, bankruptcy fraud, bribery, insider trading, embezzlement,
computer crime, medical crime, public corruption, identity theft, environmental crime,
pension fund crime, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) crimes,
consumer fraud, occupational crime, securities fraud, financial fraud, and forgery.
White Collar Crimes The tools of the trade are paperwork or through the computer. performed by using
(Chapter 1) paperwork or computers.
White collar crimes go largely undetected and tend to be under reported. Hence the
need for criminal investigators to take a more proactive approach to evidence
gathering.
Politicians have generally found it more attractive to attack street crime than to attack
the crimes of powerful corporations.
Risk strongly favors the offender. Probability of detection, prosecution and sanctioning
is low.
According to the text a multistage approach to defining white collar crime should be
used.
1. Polemical
2. Typological
3. Operational
-The first, most general, definitional stage is polemical (Controversial).
-Typological suggests organizing patterns of crime and criminal behavior into coherent
or homogeneous categories, to facilitate both explaining and responding to crime (For
White Collar Crime example, economic crime, commercial crime, occupational crime, etc..). The primary
(Chapter 1) victims as well as the context in which a crime occurs are criteria in this multistage
approach.
-Operational provides for a point of departure for focused empirical research or
comparative critical analysis. For purposes of systematically comparing white collar
criminals and "common" criminals, white collar crime defined as violations of nine
federal crime categories:
-Securities Fraud (Bank Embezzlement)
-Antitrust Violations (Postal and Wire Fraud)
-Bribery (False Claims and Statements)
-Tax Offenses (Credit and Lending Institution Fraud)
, -White collar crimes should only refer to violations of criminal law VS. White collar
crime should refer to forms of violations of the harm addressed by civil\administrative
law as well as criminal.
-White collar crimes should refer only to acts committed by higher status individuals
and organizations VS White collar crime should refer to acts committed in the context
"The Debate" of
(Chapter 1) legitimate occupation.
-White collar crime should refer only to acts involving financial and economic activities
VS White collar crime should refer to acts involving physical as well as financial harm.
White collar crime should refer only to the acts of individuals VS White collar crime
should refer to the acts of organizations as well as individuals.
Valid Generalizations Possible
Age:
1.Likely to be middle-aged or older (Begin offending at later age)
Class:
1.Sutherland - Crime of upper or better-off classes 2.Significantly more likely to be
middle and upper class
Race:
1.Whites overrepresented for middle and high level offenses
2.African Americans overrepresented for lower level offenses (welfare fraud)
Who are the White Collar Criminals?
(Chapter 1)
Gender:
1.Males greatly outnumber females
2.Male dominance of corporations and outside-the-home occupations a factor
3.Women are becoming better represented in elite corporate and occupational and
political positions.
-Data suggest women are becoming more involved
Other Demographic Variables:
1.More likely to be employed
2.Better educated
3.Married with stable family situations
4.Community group and church affiliations
In 2008 a series of Congressional hearings investigated fraudulent practices related to
the collapse of the subprime mortgage market. Let's look at some additional cases.
July 2010:
Jacksonville broker Wayne McLeod confessed to Ponzi scheme
Days before McLeod was found dead, he confessed to a financial plot that was all a lie.
White Collar/Congressional hearings
(Chapter 1)
The money invested in the FEBG fund paid for McLeod's high- rolling lifestyle, which
included several houses, luxury automobiles and $645,000 for Jaguars suites from 2005
to 2009.
Lured law enforcement agents and other government employees into investing at least
$34 million in a fraudulent bond fund for more than 20 years. He committed suicide
before being arrested!!!!
