Financial fraud in the United States costs nearly $400 billion annually. The executives responsible for this corporate duplicity usually earn excellent salaries. So why do they become criminals? Harvard Business School professor Eugene Soltes shares his findings after years of extensive research. His numerous case histories make for fascinating reading. He speaks almost exclusively about men so don't look for gender-neutral pronouns. As Soltes explains, "Women are conspicuously absent from the ranks of prominent white-collar criminals." getAbstract recommends his compelling study to business students and professors, executives, business pundits, financial law enforcement officials and anyone who handles the money.
The ‘convenience triangle’ is the dynamic relationship between motive, opportunity, and willingness to commit a crime, which culminates in the illegal acts which constitute white-collar crime. This book aims to discuss the role of the ‘convenience triangle’ in white-collar crime, how it affects the perpetration of these crimes, the impact of this on detection and prevention and the effects of the punitive measures taken against white-collar criminals.
In Trusted Criminals, David O. Friedrichs, author of numerous articles in leading criminal justice, criminology, and sociology journals, offers a comprehensive study of the world of white collar crime. Beginning with a thorough explanation of the historical development of the concept of white collar crime, Friedrichs then draws readers deeply into this arena of crime by exploring many aspects of the subject, including alternative theories for explaining white collar crime; the role of media (and other agents) in effecting an image of white collar crime; those parties - from whistleblowers to investigative reporters - who expose such crime; the challenges involved in studying white collar crime; various forms of white collar crime - including corporate and occupational crime, governmental crime, state-corporate crime, finance crime, technocrime, and more; investigating, policing, prosecuting, defending, and adjudicating white collar crime and social policy options for responding to white collar crime.
A comprehensive and state-of the-art overview from internationally-recognized experts on white-collar crime covering a broad range of topics from many perspectives Law enforcement professionals and criminal justice scholars have debated the most appropriate definition of “white-collar crime” ever since Edwin Sutherland first coined the phrase in his speech to the American Sociological Society in 1939. The conceptual ambiguity surrounding the term has challenged efforts to construct a body of science that meaningfully informs policy and theory. The Handbook of White-Collar Crime is a unique re-framing of traditional discussions that discusses common topics of white-collar crime—who the offenders are, who the victims are, how these crimes are punished, theoretical explanations—while exploring how the choice of one definition over another affects research and scholarship on the subject. Providing a one-volume overview of research on white-collar crime, this book presents diverse perspectives from an international team of both established and newer scholars that review theory, policy, and empirical work on a broad range of topics. Chapters explore the extent and cost of white-collar crimes, individual- as well as organizational- and macro-level theories of crime, law enforcement roles in prevention and intervention, crimes in Africa and South America, the influence of technology and globalization, and more. This important resource: Explores diverse implications for future theory, policy, and research on current and emerging issues in the field Clarifies distinct characteristics of specific types of offences within the general archetype of white-collar crime Includes chapters written by researchers from countries commonly underrepresented in the field Examines the real-world impact of ambiguous definitions of white-collar crime on prevention, investigation, and punishment Offers critical examination of how definitional decisions steer the direction of criminological scholarship Accessible to readers at the undergraduate level, yet equally relevant for experienced practitioners, academics, and researchers, The Handbook of White-Collar Crime is an innovative, substantial contribution to contemporary scholarship in the field.
This book presents descriptions of theories about white-collar crime offenders and offenses. A case study is developed from a sample of 369 white-collar criminals generated by extracting newspaper stories and supplemented by court records. Numerous approaches to white-collar crime are organized and applied to the database. Theories are cataloged and tested against empirical data. The main aim of this book is to present a framework for a general theory of white-collar crime based on a number of sub-theories. Over the years, from research done on white-collar crime, three major characteristics have been attributed. First there is economics, where non-violent acts are committed for financial gain. Next there is organization, where offenders take advantage of professional authority and power to commit crime. Finally, there is behavior, where a number of deviant personality traits are often found.Criminal investigation is a procedure or method for reconstructing the past. Its purpose is creating an account of what has happened, how it happened, and who did what to make it happen. Private investigation cases are evaluated based on a number of theories and criteria. The success or failure of a private investigation can be measured at different stages in the process: basis for initiation of investigation, work methodology, investigation results, and investigation consequences. This book presents case studies of private investigation reports by financial crime specialists and fraud examiners.
Provides a portrait of white-collar criminals and their punishments. The authors of this book argue that white-collar crime is committed largely by the middle classes and as opportunities for financial wrong-doing increase so will people's susceptability.
“Blood-boiling…with quippy analysis…Taub proposes straightforward fixes and ways everyday people can get involved in taking white-collar criminals to task.”—San Francisco Chronicle How ordinary Americans suffer when the rich and powerful use tax dodges or break the law to get richer and more powerful—and how we can stop it. There is an elite crime spree happening in America, and the privileged perps are getting away with it. Selling loose cigarettes on a city sidewalk can lead to a choke-hold arrest, and death, if you are not among the top 1%. But if you're rich and commit mail, wire, or bank fraud, embezzle pension funds, lie in court, obstruct justice, bribe a public official, launder money, or cheat on your taxes, you're likely to get off scot-free (or even win an election). When caught and convicted, such as for bribing their kids' way into college, high-class criminals make brief stops in minimum security "Club Fed" camps. Operate the scam from the executive suite of a giant corporation, and you can prosper with impunity. Consider Wells Fargo & Co. Pressured by management, employees at the bank opened more than three million bank and credit card accounts without customer consent, and charged late fees and penalties to account holders. When CEO John Stumpf resigned in "shame," the board of directors granted him a $134 million golden parachute. This is not victimless crime. Big Dirty Money details the scandalously common and concrete ways that ordinary Americans suffer when the well-heeled use white collar crime to gain and sustain wealth, social status, and political influence. Profiteers caused the mortgage meltdown and the prescription opioid crisis, they've evaded taxes and deprived communities of public funds for education, public health, and infrastructure. Taub goes beyond the headlines (of which there is no shortage) to track how we got here (essentially a post-Enron failure of prosecutorial muscle, the growth of "too big to jail" syndrome, and a developing implicit immunity of the upper class) and pose solutions that can help catch and convict offenders.
This book explores a neglected topic in criminology women and white-collar crime. Taking a case study approach, it examines how women and crime has changed and why women have become more involved in corporate, political, and professional offenses. Fully exploring the topic, it discusses all issues including perpetrators, victims and whistle-blowers and incorporates interviews with female scholars and professionals. From insider trading to medical malpractice, it includes contemporary examples that engage the reader and promote discussion in a controversial area of study. Criminologists, anyone with an interest in criminal practices."
The Oxford Handbook of White-Collar Crime offers a comprehensive treatment of the most up-to-date theories and research regarding white-collar crime. Contributors tackle a vast range of topics, including the impact of white-collar crime, the contexts in which white-collar crime occurs, current crime policies and debates, and examinations of the criminals themselves. The volume concludes with a set of essays that discuss potential responses for controlling white-collar crime, as well as promising new avenues for future research.
