NCJ Number
39747
Journal
JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW, CRIMINOLOGY AND POLICE SCIENCE Volume: 55 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1964) Pages: 208-214
Date Published
1964
Length
7 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AND ACTIVITY IN THE STUDY OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MADE EXPLICIT.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT HAS REMAINED UNCLEAR BECAUSE CRIMINOLOGISTS HAVE SUBSUMED DIFFERENT BEHAVIORS UNDER THE TERM. IN ADDITION, WRITERS HAVE VARIED ON THE AMOUNT OF EMPHASIS GIVEN TO THE SOCIAL STATUS OF THE OFFENDER, HAVE EMPLOYED DIFFERENT MEANINGS OF OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITY, AND HAVE LACKED CONSISTENCY IN DESIGNATING THE ILLEGAL NATURE OF THE OFFENSES. BECAUSE THE CONCEPT INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF BEHAVIORS, IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO DELINEATE MORE HOMOGENEOUS UNITS FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPLANATION. THESE WOULD INCLUDE 'OCCUPATIONAL CRIMES' (ALL VIOLATIONS THAT OCCUR IN THE COURSE OF OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITY); 'OCCUPATIONAL DEVIATION' (ALL OCCUPATIONAL BEHAVIOR THAT VIOLATES THE INSTITUTIONALIZED EXPECTATIONS OF AN OCCUPATION); AND 'CRIMINAL OCCUPATIONAL DEVIATION' (CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS WHICH ARE ALSO DEVIATIONS FROM OCCUPATIONAL NORMS). SEVERAL DISTINCT ORDERS OF BEHAVIOR BECOME EVIDENT WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND OCCUPATIONAL DEVIANCY IS CONSIDERED. FINALLY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPLANATION BE EMPLOYED IN FUTURE STUDIES OF OCCUPATIONAL CRIME AND DEVIATION. THEREFORE, CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENTIAL CRIME RATES AMONG DIVERSE SOCIAL GROUPS, OF RATES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IN OCCUPATIONS, AND OF THE CRIMINAL LAWS THEMSELVES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...ELW