NCJ Number
60231
Journal
Deviance et societe Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (MAY 1977) Pages: 119-133
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
THE EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH CURRENTS CONCERNING BUSINESS CRIME IS SURVEYED IN THIS LITERATURE REVIEW.
Abstract
THIS BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS IS LIMITED TO BUSINESS CRIME, I.E., TO LARGE-SCALE ECONOMIC OFFENSES, EXCLUDING THE MORE MODEST VIOLATIONS GENERALLY ALSO COVERED BY THE TERM, ECONOMIC CRIME. THE ANALYSIS TRACES THREE CHRONOLOGICAL PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT CORRESPONDING TO THREE IDEOLOGICAL APPROACHES, COVERING PUBLICATIONS OF ALL TYPES FROM 1905 TO 1976. THE FIRST DEPICTS THE PIONEERS OF BUSINESS CRIME EMPHASIZING THAT CRIME WAS NOT A PREROGATIVE OF THE WORKING CLASSES (THEN CONSIDERED DANGEROUS). SECOND THE RESEARCH BOOM OF THE SIXTIES CONSIDERED BUSINESS OFFENSES AS A DYSFUNCTIONING OF THE SOCIAL CONTROL SYSTEM AND POINTED OUT LOOPHOLES IN LEGISLATION IN SUCH AREAS AS FRAUD, BANKRUPTCY, AND CORPORATE CRIME. WHILE THE LATTER GROUP BELIEVED THAT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION COULD EFFECTIVELY STOP BUSINESS CRIME, A MORE RECENT THIRD RESEARCH CURRENT (INCLUDING COST ANALYSES OF CRIME, INTERNATIONAL CORRUPTION, AND REPRESSIVE MEASURES AGAINST BUSINESS CRIME) DOUBTS THIS POSSIBILITY. THESE LAST RESEARCHERS ATTRIBUTE BUSINESS CRIME TO A FAR-REACHING CONSPIRACY OF THE POWERFUL CLASSES AGAINST WHICH GOVERNMENT--ITSELF A PRODUCT OF A CLASS-ORIENTED SOCIETY--IS POWERLESS AND IMPOSES ONLY TOKEN PUNISHMENTS. AN INTERNATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)