WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALITY (FROM CRIME AND DELINQUENCY, A READER, 1970 BY CARL A BERSANI - SEE NCJ-06248)

• NCJ Number: 10186
• Author(s): E H SUTHERLAND
• Date Published: 1940
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Macmillan
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINTED FROM AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW, V 5, N 1 (FEBRUARY 1940), P 1-12

Annotation

CLASSIC ESSAY ON WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, WRITTEN IN 1940, SEEKING TO DISPROVE THE THEORY THAT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS DUE TO CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH POVERTY.

Abstract

THE REASONS FOR THE PERPETUATION OF THIS FALLACY ARE EXPLORED. THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT THE DATA USED BY CRIMINOLOGISTS TO FORMULATE THE THEORY THAT CRIME IS POVERTY-LINKED ARE LIMITED SINCE THE DATA ARE GATHERED FROM CRIMINAL AND JUVENILE COURTS WHICH DEAL PRINCIPALLY WITH CRIMINALS OF LOWER ECONOMIC STATUS. HE PRESENTS AN ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS TO EXPLAIN WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, I.E. THAT SUCH CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS LEARNED BY A PROCESS OF DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION. THUS, THE KIND OF CRIMINAL ONE BECOMES IS LARGELY DEPENDENT ON ONE'S ASSOCIATIONS. THE FACTOR WHICH DIFFERENTIATES WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALITY FROM LOWER CLASS CRIMINALITY IS THE PROCESS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH SEGREGATES WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALS ADMINISTRATIVELY FROM OTHER CRIMINALS.