NCJ Number
39520
Date Published
1976
Length
100 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE CONCEPTUAL HISTORY OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME, PROPOSING DISTINCTIONS THAT MIGHT ALLEVIATE CONFUSION ON ITS USAGE, AND OUTLINES AN AGENDA OF RESEARCH PROBLEMS AND THEORETICAL ISSUES.
Abstract
IT CONSIDERS THE DELIMITATION OF OFFENSES CONSIDERED TO BE WHITE COLLAR ON THE BASIS OF ATTRIBUTES OF THE ACTOR, ATTRIBUTES OF THE ENACTMENT OF THE ILLEGALITY, THE SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VICTIM AND OFFENDER, THE BENEFICIARY OF THE ILLEGALITY, AND EMPIRICALLY OBSERVABLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ILLEGALITIES AND THEIR PERPETRATORS ENCOUNTERED BY AGENCIES OF SOCIAL CONTROL. MANY OF THESE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS ARE FOUND DEFICIENT PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF IMPRECISION AND IMPRACTICALITY AS OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS. OTHER CRITICISMS FOCUS ON THE USE OF SOCIAL CRITERIA AS MEANINGFUL CLASSIFICATIONS OF ILLEGALITIES, DIFFICULTIES IN RELIANCE UPON NOTIONS OF LEGITIMACY, PROBLEMS WITH CRITERIA THAT PERTAIN TO INTENT OR PURPOSE, AND THE CONFUSION BETWEEN PERSONS AND SUPRA-INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES. TWO TYPES OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME ARE THEN DELIMITED - TRANSACTIONAL PROPERTY VIOLATIONS IN WHICH THE MEANS BY WHICH PROPERTY IS SECURED IS PROSCRIBED (TRANSACTIONAL VIOLATIONS) AND THOSE IN WHICH TRANSACTIONS ARE PROSCRIBED BECAUSE THEY ARE THOUGHT TO VICTIMIZE THIRD PARTIES (VIOLATIVE TRANSACTIONS). THE DISCUSSION THEN TURNS TO METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN THE STUDY OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME. VARIOUS SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES, RANGING FROM THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME AND ITS REGULATION TO THE INTELLIGENCE AND SANCTIONING OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME, ITS NORMATIVE DIMENSION, AND ITS VICTIMS, ARE ALSO EXPLORED. AN 11 PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)