...Types of White Collar Crime Angela L. Langley LEG 200 – White Collar Crime in Government, Business, and Labor Professor Thomas Demko Strayer University May 28, 2012 Assignment 1: Types of White Collar Crime A white collar crime is illegal and unethical, which violates the public trust. It deals with lying, cheating, and stealing by high profile individuals. A single con can destroy a business, hurt families by cleaning out their life savings, or cost investors billions of dollars. “Devastating losses in relation to homes, businesses, jobs, retirement funds, and college savings were widespread. “It was clear that fraudulent misrepresentations on many levels were at the center of this crisis” (Friedrichs, 2010, p. 1). We will compare and contrast the nature of white collar crime with other types of illegal acts, compare and contrast the typical participants of white collar crime against the participants of other types of illegal acts, discuss the role of technology in white collar crime and how its role may create differences from other forms of crime, and analyze the role of opportunity and how it contributes to white collar crime. Compare and contrast the nature of white collar crime with other types of illegal acts. The key elements of white collar crimes are trust and its violation. “White collar crimes take on the form of misrepresentation, stealing, misappropriation, self-dealing, corruption, and role conflict” (Friedrichs, 2010, p. 10). White-collar...
Words: 1251 - Pages: 6
...that the most serious and frequent offenders are young working class males. However, there may be a bias in the statistics that results in the idea that ‘white collar crime’ is underestimated... * WHITE COLLAR CRIME - middle class members of the business world - invisible and complex. * BLUE COLLAR CRIME - working class members in society - often visible and more likely to be punished. Sutherland (1949) first used the term ‘white collar crime’. He challenged the assumption that crime is mostly a working class phenomenon. However, his own definition is not helpful. The problem with it is that he does not distinguish crimes committed for an organisation. Writers have therefore distinguished between crimes: * CORPORATE CRIME - carried out on behalf of the organisation (e.g. tax evasion). * OCCUPATIONAL CRIME - benefits the individual at the expense of the organisation (e.g. embezzling money). White collar crimes are more technical, complex and discrete and often receive more lenient punishments than blue collar crimes. For white collar crimes, there is a fine line between what is acceptable and what is not. It is often about what is morally wrong rather than legally wrong. Occupational/Corporate crime: The study of these crimes developed from the work of Sutherland in the 1940s. He used the term white collar crime to refer to crime committed by people who worked in offices. His work overlaps with the interests of Marxists who were interested in the crimes of the...
Words: 2339 - Pages: 10
...White Collar Crime: Embezzlement and Price Fixing Dr. Stokes White Collar Crime Fall 2012 November 19th 2012 This paper will discuss White Collar crime and the crime of price fixing, antitrust, and embezzlement. There are many different types of white collar crime. White Collar crime is a crime that is not too often viewed as harmful. A White Collar crime is an illegal act committed for monetary gain. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opted to approach white-collar crime in terms of the offense. The Bureau has defined white-collar crime as “. . . those illegal acts which are characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust and which are not dependent upon the application or threat of physical force or violence. Individuals and organizations commit these acts to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid the payment or loss of money or services; or to secure personal or business advantage.” (USDOJ, 1989, p. 3.) According to the F.B.I. White Collar crime is not a victimless crime. A single scam can destroy a company, devastate families by wiping out their life savings, or cost investors billions of dollars (or even all three, as in the Enron case). Today’s fraud schemes are more sophisticated than ever. Edwin Sutherland coined the term White Collar crime. In 1939 Sutherland coined White Collar as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation". People that commit White Collar crime are ordinary...
Words: 1618 - Pages: 7
...Huyen Tran Prof. Boyd English 100 4/21/2014 Inequality in America Time has brought about many changes in America since the 1960’s to the present. Many of them have been positive, like advances in technology in regards to the health care system, but some have created a growing concern in the eyes of many citizens. People like Robert Reich have noticed a growing sense of inequality in America and are worried it will only increase over time. Reich in his essay Why the Rich are Getting Richer and the Poor, Poorer he talks about the problems we are facing in the 21st century and what must be done to prevent them from spiraling out of control. The economy pre-1960 in America use to be a solid unit, what happened to one happened to all but this is simply not true anymore. “We are now in different boats, one sinking rapidly, one sinking more slowly, and the third steadily rising” (Jacobus 516). The worst hit has befallen the routine producers who now have to compete in a world economy where massive amount of people are competing for cheap labor. Reich claims the increase in outsourcing being done by American companies since the late 1970’s is a major factor. A company that shows this exact change in the seventies in AT&T, which prior to 1970’s relied on “routine producers in Shreveport, Louisiana, to assemble standard telephones. It then discovered that routine producers in Singapore would perform the same tasks at a far lower cost” (Jacobus 517). Then in 1989, AT&T...
Words: 1045 - Pages: 5
...Cheating, Stealing: White-Collar Crime “Lying, Cheating, Stealing. That’s white-collar crime in a nutshell.” That is how the Federal Bureau of Investigation describes crime committed by corporations (FBI—White-Collar Crime). These crimes include fraud, identity theft, internet swindles, money laundering, price-fixing, embezzlement, political corruption, police brutality, and much more. Conklin (2010) defines white-collar crime as “any illegal act, punishable by a criminal sanction, that is committed in the course of a legitimate occupation or pursuit by a corporation or by an otherwise respectable individual of high social standing.” Who are white-collar criminals? Who are blue-collar criminals? What are the differences between white-collar crime and blue-collar crime? Is there disparate treatment in sentencing between white-collar and blue-collar criminals? If yes, should there be? For example, if someone breaks into my home, it is a blue-collar crime and I lose some property. If a banking or real estate corporation defrauds me, it is a white-collar crime, and I lose my home, savings, and/or pension. Who is the worse criminal, and what are we doing about it? I will research these questions and examine how these two types of criminals are treated within our society. In 1939, Edwin Sutherland coined the term white-collar crime in his presidential address to the American Sociological Society. In 1949, he authored a book, White- Collar Crime, that revealed...
Words: 1060 - Pages: 5
...White Collar crime VS. Blue collar crime A big problem in today society is white collar crime and blue collar crime. The big question we ask in society is which one is a bigger problem. In my paper I will go into detail with each one and distinguish them between Micro sociology and Macro sociology. The big question being asked is what is white collar crime identified as and blue collar crime? White collar crime is defined as “illegal or unethical acts that violate fiduciary responsibility of public trust committed by an individual or organization, usually during the course of legitimate occupational activity, by persons of high or respectable social status for personal or organizational gain” (Helmkamp, Ball, & Townsend,1996, p. 351). (Cullen, Clark, Mather’s, & Cullen, 1983; Grabosky et al., 1987; Hauber, Toonvliet, & Willemse, 1988; Holland, 1995) felt back then that white collar crimes get neglected. There are only 24 out of 140 crimes that are categorized to be white collar crimes. Some examples that are white collar crimes are (i.e., price fixing, defrauding customers, and income tax fraud). Benson and Cullen (1998) examined the perceptions of white-collar crime seriousness from local prosecutors. The prosecutors did not typically perceive such crimes as serious; it was stated that, less than 4% of urban prosecutors considered corporate crime a “very serious” problem and about 50% did not regard it as serious at all. When crimes like this are committed I feel that the...
Words: 342 - Pages: 2
...an inquiry to a very particular subset of activities, victims and practices. A database search on more information of topologies within this subset of White Collar Crime yielded very few results. The author examines this from two broad categories. accounting for several factors within criminology or social science to allow a better study of the topic, in a more narrow scope. From these typologies, we can also draw numerous scientific values. The author uses the type of activity to study an area. The other typologies include, victims, such as the general public, consumers and employees. Another typology is the size of entity, such as the crime of a major domestic corporation. Thirdly, the product or service involved is another topology. Finally, the nature of the harmful activity. I believe the victim and type of activity are the most significant, because you will most likely have the most data to draw from. Victims will almost definitely report their loss if they suspect foul play; all the while the type of activity will be reported or derived from the victims report. These areas, in my mind, hold for quantitative data. 2. Identify and discuss how the corporate abuse of power, corporate fraud, and corporate economic exploitation are interrelated, and which segments of society suffer from these forms of White Collar Crime. The corporate abuse of power, corporate fraud and corporate economic exploitation are interrelated by very undefined line. Based on my reading...
Words: 836 - Pages: 4
...Man Vs Robots Table of Contents Are you #teamrobot?3 Advancements in technology are doing more harm than good3 Family structures will collapse4 Social effects of the automaton takeover5 Positive outcome6 Mental effects of the automaton takeover6 Who will win the battle? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………7 Man vs Robots Are you #teamrobot? Computers run the world! Wouldn’t you agree? Think about it, imagine going an entire twenty four hours without turning to your electronics for help, you can’t. Our generation has been spoiled with using the “easy, fast way out”. Remember that time the cashier was moving too slow when you were in a hurry, thank goodness for that self-checkout. How many times do you go to the supermarket and prefer to deal with the machine versus the nice cashier lady who greets you with a smile and small conversation? Most people in this generation prefer to deal with machines and not people and it is becoming a problem in society. Advancements in technology are doing more harm than good The problem is the advancement in technology is destroying and eliminating job opportunities for mankind. When people visit their local grocery store you can see that machines have replaced cashiers and even outperforming mankind. The rich are becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer. Robots are cheaper and they execute factory jobs better than humans. In an article from The Desert Sun, The Boston...
Words: 1681 - Pages: 7
...White collar crime The phrase white collar crime was first used by Edwin Sutherland in 1939 during a speech to the American Sociological Society. He defined white collar crime as a "crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation."(Sutherland, “White-Collar Criminality."). Today, white collar crime refers to illegal offenses that are generally committed in the business or professional setting (white collar versus blue collar jobs) to achieve financial gain. Crimes that do not involve physical violence, and that relate largely to financial matters, are often called white collar crimes. Corporate corruption is out of control for two main reasons. First, big companies are now multinational, while governments remain national. Big companies are so financially powerful that governments are afraid to take them on. It is very important to study the cause and the possible solution for the increase in numbers of white collar crime; our focus needs to shift from Blue Collar Crimes to White Collar Crimes. U.S.A spends nearly $50 billion on fighting Blue Collar Crimes, not even quarter of that amount is spent on fighting White Collar Crimes. Hardly a day passes without a new story of malfeasance. Every Wall Street firm has paid significant fines during the past decade for phony accounting, insider trading, securities fraud, Ponzi schemes, or outright embezzlement by CEOs. A massive insider-trading ring is currently on trial in New York...
Words: 2916 - Pages: 12
...Living in Hampton VA. Differs from Living in Newsoms, VA. By Christopher G. Evans Professor Diana Martin English 93-O1W 09 March 2013 OUTLINE Thesis: Living in Hampton, VA. Differs from living in Newsoms, VA. in environment, people, and cost of living. I. First, they differ in environment. A. Hampton 1. Variety of structure 2. Scenery 3. Atmosphere B. Newsoms 1. Variety of structures 2. Scenery 3. Atmosphere C. Conclusion sentence. II. The second comparison is the people A. Hampton 1. Occupations, recreation and leisure 2. General characteristics B. Newsoms 1. Occupations, recreation and leisure 2. General characteristics C. 1. Conclusion sentence. III. The final comparison is the cost of living A. Hampton B. Newsoms C. Conclusion sentence. EVANS 1 Living in Hampton, VA. Differs from Living in Newsoms, VA. in environment, People, and Cost of Living. ...
Words: 830 - Pages: 4
...the text book. Case Analysis: Chapter 5, Question 6 (a, b, and c), pages 194 and 176. 1. Summary a. In this section, you should summarize the case in one paragraph. The idea of achieving cost-saving among Corporate America is taking shape in the form of job outsourcing from blue collar to white collar – It used to be that jobs going overseas are based from the manufacturing sector, but now the CEO’s are taking the type of outsourcing to the next level in the service and high-tech sector, meaning software and various design engineers can be outsourced overseas and cut their overhead expenditure by 15%. This has been costing the host country’s availability of skilled jobs in the years to come. 2. Questions a. Number each question. Each specific question under the numbered Case Discussion Questions should be a paragraph in length because many Case Discussion Questions contain more than one question. Be sure to restate each question before answering it. b. Apply the concepts from the appropriate chapters in your answers. Chapter 6: a. Who benefits from the outsourcing of skilled white-collar jobs to developing nations? Who are the losers? At the expense of American white-collar jobs, the ones who stand to benefit from outsourcing are the developing nations where the multinational companies have set up offices thanks to free trade and globalization. “Multinational corporations doing some business in their markets can locate their production in the very markets...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...that very few laudry services pick up laudery at homes, and has a self service laudery mat, notes that the industry has great potential for a profitable growing business which can expand and diversify the services. .Although this service is innovative , Lynn’s Clean & Press has to consider the fact that there will be competition ,business imitators and rivals that will try to gain the customers market share in future. As more completion increases Lynn’s Clean & Press has to further innovate and distinguish/differentiate its services from the competitors so we will need to develop a strategy that set us apart. By providing a cost effective walk-in laundry service that is clean, fully equipped and monitored will provide blue collar workers long term value for consumers and the organization. To enhance the service availability daily proactive maintance will be part of the operations effectiveness Laundery matt. In addition, weekly early bird discounts will offered in promoting and advertising this service. Customers will get the extra benefits for registering and purchasing laundery plans that meet their needs as well as keeping the facility open and secure 24/7 access without interruption. Lynn’s Clean & Press maintains its competitive edge through maintain supplies in bulk from wholesalers and reducing accounting by using online services for all the cleaning needs. The Diffirentiator for Lynn’s Clean & Press would be that by using a web base order...
Words: 490 - Pages: 2
...fraud scheme | CrimesInChicago 5/4/13 11:59 AM CrimesInChicago CA T EGORY ARCHIVE S : FR AU D SC HE ME White Collar Crime and Prosecution Posted on February 1, 2013 by webmaster White-collar crime is skyrocketing! Tough economic times and the advent of hi-tech computer technology coupled with Wall Street fraud is proving tough times for all Americans. Who are the white-collar criminals? What is White-collar crime? How do these individuals arrive at a position of trust? What is law enforcement doing? Who will be affected next? Will you be next? A white collar crime is many times defined as a non-violent crime involving deception and/or trickery, typically committed by a business person, public official, or someone of high stature, trust, or authority. Evidence in a white collar crime usually involves a paper trail of evidence that investigators use to prosecute the case. Although this definition may be true, it is hotly contested within the community of experts that try to define “White-Collar Crime”. Many experts feel there are three main characteristics that categorize a white-collar criminal. Some experts believe that white-collar crime should be defined by the high socioeconomic status and/or occupation of trust that the offender has. Others believe that white-collar crime should be defined by the type of offense committed i.e., fraud, counterfeiting, forgery, embezzlement, bribery, larceny, price fixing, racketeering, computer fraud, obstruction of justice, and perjury...
Words: 1194 - Pages: 5
...Running Head: EXPLAINING WHITE COLLAR CRIME White Collar Crime Explanation Kaplan University Deborah Llamas CJ501P-01N Professor Tom DiPaola August 14, 2013 Bernard Madoff, appeared to be a cordial man with an alluring personality, however, despite his friendly demeanor Madoff had another side to him that was not as friendly and compassionate, he was considered to be withdrawn, cold, and unfriendly (Cresswell, & Thomas, 2009). Accordance to the video Maddoff was very rarely seen intermingling with the victims of whom he swindled millions of dollars, by means of hiring, Michael Bienes, and Frank Avellino, whom were responsible for bringing in clients with the promise of returns of potentially, 15% to 20% (Bienes, 2009). I. Maddoff’s Behavior Explained. Accordance to the video it is obvious that Bernie Maddoff considered a psychopath defined in the following manner; psychopaths do not learn from experience, have no inclination of responsibility, do not obtain the means of controlling their dispositions, emotionally immature, and unable to develop meaningful relationships. Similarly, Madoff clearly obtained anti-social personality social disorder, he had the ability to manipulate people without having any feelings of guilt or remorse for his actions, he never considered the fact that the people he cheated out of their hard earned money. He never considered that his victims had their rights, appeared to be amiable yet was aggressive...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
...Women gaining power in business The role of women in the workforce has increased dramatically over the last several decades. If we look at women these days, women have become very successful in balancing between both work and family to build a strong foundation for their children and future generations who may want to be just as successful, ambitious and accomplish the same goals. Women these days have so many more opportunities that they never had before, this opens the doors for women to achieve anything in terms of business. Women are gaining power in business these days because there are more women going into the workplace, women getting better education and finally women are getting hired more than men because they are paid less. Certainly, roles of women these days are different than what they were back in the days. Women had a very small role in business back in the days, we see a lot more women in the workplace these days. Today, women only take some roles in consideration. Staying home and taking care of the house is no longer women’s number one priority. Instead, working outside of the home whether its part time or full-time is much more popular. A large percentage of women these days choose to be in the workplace, to be independent and support their families rather than staying home. A lot of families depend on the mother’s income especially during these tough economic times. Years ago, not a big percentage of women were seen in the work force. During...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5