WHITE-COLLAR OFFENDER (FROM PSYCHOLOGY OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, 1979, BY HANS TOCH - SEE NCJ-52371)

• NCJ Number: 52388
• Author(s): G GEIS; R F MEIER
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHITE-COLLAR CRIME IS PRESENTED, INCLUDING CASE STUDIES OF WHITE-COLLAR OFFENDERS IN FINANCE, BUSINESS, AND POLITICS, AND AN ANALYSIS OF WHITE-COLLAR CRIME AMONG PHYSICIANS.

Abstract

IT IS FIRST POINTED OUT THAT THE LITERATURE ON WHITE-COLLAR CRIME REFLECTS A PREOCCUPATION WITH IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING ACTS, AS OPPOSED TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR DYNAMICS, AS WELL AS A CONSPICUOUS ABSENCE OF SOCIOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY. THE WORK OF EDWIN H. SUTHERLAND, WHO ORIGINATED THE TERM 'WHITE-COLLAR CRIME,' IS REVIEWED, WITH REFERENCE TO SUTHERLAND'S OBSERVATION THAT THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROFESSIONAL THIEF AND A WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL IS ONE OF SELF-CONCEPT: THE PROFESSIONAL THIEF ADMITS HE IS A THIEF, WHEREAS THE WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINAL THINKS OF HIMSELF AS HONEST. IT IS NOTED THAT, ALTHOUGH MOST STUDIES OF WHITE-COLLAR CRIME HAVE CONCERNED THEMSELVES WITH PERSONS OF PRESTIGE, LOGIC SUGGESTS THAT THE DESIGNATION EMBRACES ALL INDIVIDUALS WHO VIOLATE LAWS REGULATING THEIR OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES. CASE STUDIES OF WHITE-COLLAR OFFENDERS IN FINANCE, BUSINESS, AND POLITICS SUGGEST SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF THIS FORM OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. AN INDEPTH DISCUSSION OF ILLEGAL ACTS BY PHYSICIANS FOCUSES ON THE MANNER IN WHICH PRESSURES TOWARD LAW VIOLATION SWAMP THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS WITHIN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO HOW BOTH OFFENDERS AND OTHERS AROUND THEM FAIL TO PERCEIVE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THEIR ACTS ARE OFFERED. SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT TO REDUCE WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AND MEMBERS OF THE OFFENDERS' REFERENCE GROUPS TO DEFINE IT IN INVIDIOUS TERMS. OFFENDERS' RATIONALIZATIONS MUST BE PENETRATED, AND OFFENDERS MUST BE MADE TO CONFRONT LESS PALATABLE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUCH SOCIAL VALUES AS INDIVIDUALISM, HEDONISM, AND MATERIALISM ARE CRIMINOGENIC, PARTICULARLY REGARDING WHITE COLLAR CRIME, IS POINTED OUT. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.