ECONOMIC CRIME - LITERATURE ANALYSIS

• NCJ Number: 56054
• Author(s): W C CUNNINGHAM; P J GROSS; H NUGENT
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 32 pages
• Corporate Author: Hallcrest Press
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PREPARED FOR THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC CRIME PROJECT, U S DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Annotation

A LITERATURE SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE A DATA BASE ON THE COSTS OF CRIME AGAINST BUSINESS, BUSINESS' RESPONSE TO CRIME, AND GAPS IN AND PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING LITERATURE ON ECONOMIC CRIME.

Abstract

THE LITERATURE SEARCH WAS THE RESULT OF A TASK FORCE PROJECT DONE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, GRIFFIN BELL, IN MAY 1978. THE PURPOSE WAS TO DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ON THE PART OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND LABOR TO EFFECTIVELY COMBAT CRIME AGAINST BUSINESS. THE TASK FORCE, ON THE BASIS OF ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE REVIEWED, MADE SEVERAL CONCLUSIONS. THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL BARRIERS TO COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH ON ECONOMIC CRIME AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TESTED PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES. NO SINGLE SOURCE EXISTS TO WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL CAN TURN TO OBTAIN ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. LITERATURE CONCERNING BUSINESS CRIME IS SCATTERED UNDER A VARIETY OF HEADINGS. EVEN WHEN FOUND, THE MATERIAL IS NOT IN FORMS THAT READILY CAN BE USED. MECHANISMS ARE LACKING FOR DISSEMINATING DOCUMENTS. SIMILAR PROBLEMS EXIST IN DETERMINING THE COSTS OF CRIME. THE ONLY AVAILABLE LITERATURE GAVE COST ESTIMATES, SUGGESTING THAT AN ECONOMETRIC STUDY HAS NEVER BEEN DONE IN THIS FIELD. IN THE AREA OF CRIME PREVENTION COSTS, LITERATURE REVEALS THAT BUSINESS IS DEVOTING ABOUT $6 MILLION TO SELF-PROTECTION AND CRIME PREVENTION. HOWEVER, TO MORE EFFICIENTLY ALLOCATE ITS RESOURCES, BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW ACTUAL LOSS EXPERIENCE. TOO LITTLE WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO EVALUATE THE COSTS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF PREVENTIVE EFFORTS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE LITERATURE AVAILABLE DID NOT GIVE A CLEAR IDEA OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES ALLOCATE THEIR RESOURCES TO ECONOMIC CRIME. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOW LACKS THE MECHANISMS TO MEASURE ITS EFFORTS AGAINST WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, BUT LEAA HAS RECENTLY FUNDED AN EFFORT WHICH WILL ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. AS REGARDS THE PUBLIC ROLE IN PREVENTION, THE LITERATURE INDICATES THAT GREATER AWARENESS IS NECESSARY AMONG BUSINESS LEADERS AND THE PUBLIC IN ORDER TO DEVISE CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES. THESE PROBLEMS ALL POINT TO A NEED FOR BETTER ORGANIZATION AND DISSEMINATION OF WHAT IS KNOWN, AND A NEED TO IMPROVE THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE. TABLES ARE INCLUDED.