White Collar Crime (10) Flashcards
White collar crime definition
Crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation.
Who coined the term white collar crime?
Sutherland (1949)
What are the 3 types of white collar crime?
Occupational
Corporate
State
What is occupational white collar crime?
Crime committed by professions in the course of their occupation.
What is corporate white collar crime?
Crime committed by companies and businesses (pollution, fraud, corporate manslaughter).
What is state white collar crime?
War crimes, genocide, human rights violations.
Marxist theory of crime
Crime is a result of the capitalist society and bourgeoisie exploiting the proletariat.
Selective law enforcement
The criminal justice system applies laws to different social groups in different ways (working class and ethnic minorities are criminalised whilst rich and powerful are ignored).
Reiman (2000)
Ruling class are more likely to commit crime but less likely to be treated as a criminal.
Snider (1993)
Corporate crime is more harmful than street crime but less regulated.
Slapper and Tombs (1999) 6 types of white collar crime
- Paperwork/non-compliance
- Environmental crimes
- Manufacturing offences
- Labour law violations
- Unfair trade practices
- Financial offences
Example of paperwork/non-compliance crime
Zeebrugger ferry disaster (1987) - failed to comply to rules regarding closing bow doors, bow doors weren’t shut, ferry flooded, 197 dead.
Examples of unfair trade practices crime
UK dairy companies and supermarkets (2007) - fined £166 million after price fixing milk and cheese costing consumers £270 million than should have been.
What is paperwork/non-compliance crime?
Crimes where the correct permits or licenses are not obtained or companies fail to comply with health and safety regulations.
What is environmental crime?
Illegal dumping or toxic/hazardous waste, emission of dangerous and toxic substances into air/water supply/soil, destruction of wide areas via deforestation.
