NCJ Number
40334
Date Published
1974
Length
24 pages
Annotation
'UPPERWORLD CRIME' INCLUDES LAWBREAKING ACTS COMMITTED BY THOSE WHO, DUE TO THEIR POSITION IN THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE, HAVE OBTAINED SPECIALIZED KINDS OF OCCUPATIONAL SLOTS ESSENTIAL FOR THE COMMISSION OF THESE OFFENSES.
Abstract
THIS PAPER DEALS WITH THE PROBLEMS OF DEFINING UPPERWORLD CRIME AND WITH ATTITUDES TOWARD IT IN VARIOUS PERIODS OF HISTORY. LATER SECTIONS CONSIDER THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF UPPERWORLD CRIME, ITS INVESTIGATION BY REFORM GROUPS, ITS HANDLING BY THE SYSTEM OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AND THE INFLUENCE OF THE STUDY OF UPPERWORLD CRIME ON THE STUDY OF CRIME IN GENERAL. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT BEHAVIOR DUPLICATING IN FORM AND SPIRIT WHAT WOULD NOW BE REGARDED AS UPPERWORLD CRIME CAN BE FOUND THROUGHOUT HISTORY, ALTHOUGH A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFENSES PROMINENT IN THE EXISTING INVENTORY OF UPPERWORLD CRIME COULD NOT HAVE COME INTO EXISTENCE UNTIL THE APPEARANCE OF SOCIAL ARRANGEMENTS PERMITTING THEIR PERFORMANCE (CORPORATE CRIME, FOR EXAMPLE). THE SOCIAL COSTS OF SUCH CRIME INCLUDE PUBLIC CYNICISM AND THE RATIONALIZATION OF CRIMES BY LOWER CLASS OFFENDERS, WHO SAY THAT UNPUNISHED LAWBREAKING IS ENDEMIC IN THE UPPER CLASSES. A POSITIVE CONSEQUENCE OF UPPERWORLD CRIME, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN THE RISE IN CONSUMER AWARENESS AND ACTIVISM. THE STUDY OF UPPERWORLD CRIME (DUE TO ITS FAILURE TO FIT READILY INTO EARLIER MOLDS OF DEFINITION AND EXPLANATION) HAS BEEN THE PRECURSOR OF THE CONTEMPORARY SWING OF CRIMINOLOGY TOWARD MORE PENETRATING INVESTIGATION OF THE POLITICAL PROCESSES BY WHICH CERTAIN BEHAVIORS BECOME DEFINED AS CRIMINAL.