Analysis of White Collar Crime

University |

Analysis of White Collar Crime |

Impact on Society |

|

Gillian Bennett, White Collar Crime- MAJ 6610 |

6/11/2013 |

This is a short paper that analysis a white collar crime, from its definition, to how it has evolved and the impact it has on our society. |

Instructor: Nicholas Terranova

Analysis of White Collar Crime- Short Paper

How the meaning of this phrase has developed and changed through the years since it was first introduced by Sutherland in 1939.

Edwin Sutherland introduced the phrase “White Collar Crime” in 1939 to mean "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation." (http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/white-collar_crime). Sutherland also explained that a crime cannot be a white collar crime unless perpetrated by a person of “high social status”. However, as time progressed, the meaning of the phrase began to change, but not by much. In the late 1970s, Sutherland’s theory was cut and geared towards organizational and corporate crimes. In fact, in 1981, Levi started the study of firm fraud, which identified “the low likelihood of legal control when frauds cross several national boundaries”. Levi too, was looking at the corporate aspect. Since then, white collar crime has been quite a debatable topic, where no one could agree on what constitutes a white-collar crime. However, at the end of the day, Sutherland paved the way for us to understand the impact that such crimes have on society and how they could be prevented, and made it perfectly clear/acceptable that crimes are committed by individuals in all social classes.

Does it make sense? Does it fit into our contemporary society?

Yes, the meaning of white collar crime given by Sutherland does in fact make sense. White collar crime is now being recognized more than ever before and now society does not have to be cheated without the offender being held accountable. Before, society had the perspective that such...