NCJ Number
125058
Journal
Detective Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 6-7,19
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Since 1984, the Army's criminal investigation force has taken on significantly more investigations involving economic crimes.
Abstract
Contract fraud investigations are tedious, sometimes taking years to complete. To prepare agents to handle the many aspects of economic crime, a demanding training program has been initiated with emphasis in contracting, logistics, and fraud investigation. About 430 of 1,100 military agents are trained to work in some aspect of economic crime, and the number is on the rise. More than 200 of these specialize in economic crime cases. In fighting contracting fraud, however, some perceptions had to change within the Army. One of these is that the military has no choice but to accept at least some amount of contractor fraud. Another is that stamping out contractor fraud is someone else's responsibility. Perhaps one of the toughest perceptions to change is the notion that contractor fraud is a victimless crime. Economic crime is not only a crime against the taxpayer, but against the soldier who depends on the equipment and goods the government buys.