Chapter 1

Question 1

White Collar Crime

Answer 1

Distinguished by location of offense, status of offender, and nature of behavior.

Occur in workplace and are committed by workers.

Sutherland 1939: crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in course of occupation

Question 2

Key features of White Collar Crime

Answer 2

1. Committed during course of work
2. Offender plays central role in crime
3. Job viewed as legitimate by society

Question 3

6 reasons to study WCC

Answer 3

1. Loses are greater, greater chance of victim than violent crimes
2. Effects everyone, far reaching social effects
3. Criminologists can learn more about all types of crime
4. Develops effective prevention and intervention
5. Provides info about potential jobs
6. Insight into culture and subcultures

Question 4

Types of research:

Surveys

Answer 4

On-site, face to face, phone, mail.

Can involve justice officials, public, victims, and offenders.

Provides insight into dynamics, causes, and consequences

Difficult to conduct

Question 5

Types of research:

Archival research

Answer 5

Uses records and databases including case records, presentencing reports, media reports, and case descriptions of specific WCC offenses.

Helps determine what info public is likely to receive about WCC and uncover possible patterns

Levi (2006) focused on how financial WCC reported, typically in business or law sections rather than crime in newspapers

Question 6

Types of research:

Field research

Answer 6

Researcher enters a setting and collects data based on observations

Time consuming, conducted much less than other studies

Standard (1973) worked as janitor in nursing home to research maltreatment

Question 7

Types of research:

Experiments

Answer 7

2 types:

1. classic- Has experimental and control group
2. Quasi- lacks control group

Question 8

Types of research:

Case studies

Answer 8

Researchers select a particular crime, criminal, or event and study features surrounding causes and consequences

Relatively frequent in WCC literature. Advantageous bc they allow criminologists an insiders view

Can take a long time to complete

Cullen and colleagues (1987) studied FORD case

Question 9

5 principles of science:

Objectivity

Answer 9

Researchers remain value-free and open-minded

Question 10

5 principles of science:

Parsimony

Answer 10

Keep levels of explanation as simple as possible

Question 11

5 principles of science:

Deterism

Answer 11

Behavior is caused by preceding events. Leads to better prevention

Question 12

5 principles of science:

Skepticism

Answer 12

Scientists must question and read-question findings. Helps keep current

Question 13

5 principles of science:

Relativism

Answer 13

Means that all things are related. Implies change in one, causes change in another.

WCC related in 3 ways:

1. How it is defined
2. Nature of crime
3. How criminal justice system responds

Question 14

John Van Gich (1978)

Answer 14

Applied general systems theory helps illustrate that society is made up of different systems that operate independently as well as in conjunction with other systems

Question 15

12 systems

Answer 15

1. Political- defines laws and regs
2. Educational- preps and trains individuals for careers. WCC typically comes out of this system
3. Religious- seen as having power to prevent crimes
4. Technological- changes how crimes are committed. Provides tools for gov. in pursuit of crime
5. Social- where people have needs met and learn behaviors
6. Social services- provide public services
7. Occupational- where bulk of professions are found.
8. Economic- drives economy. Effects all systems
9. Corporate- carries our business activity as part of capitalism
10. Regulatory- local, state, and fed. agencies that regulate various businesses
11. Civil justice- individuals seek recourse for violations of civil law
12. Criminal justice- compromised of police, court, and corrections. Where violations of criminal law are handled