NCJ Number
232989
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 50 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2010 Pages: 1094-1116
Date Published
November 2010
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article explores where the public interest lies in the counterfeiting of luxury fashion goods, addressing a range of academic and practical questions relating to the regulation of intellectual property and contribute to the current debate about public spending on anti-counterfeit measures.
Abstract
Counterfeiting raises some interesting intellectual questions for criminologists, policymakers, and brand owners, not least that it differs from the types of offending that traditionally form the crime diet of the criminal justice system. While it is growing in prevalence due to the enormous returns on investment, it is unlikely that the public purse will fund major anti-counterfeiting initiatives in a climate of public sector cut-backs, emphasizing the need to allocate resources effectively. This article seeks to locate the public interest in policing counterfeit luxury fashion goods by separating it out from the broader debate over safety-critical counterfeits such as aircraft parts. It then maps out what is, in effect, the criminology of desire for counterfeit goods, before outlining the market incentives for counterfeiting and related criminal activity. (Published Abstract) Figures and references