White-Collar Crime
Stephen M. Rosoff, Henry N. Pontell, and Robert Tillman
Introduction
People, basically, are greedy and dishonest and will steal anything they can given half a chance. Rosoff et al., who study so-called "white-collar" crime, do not agree with this statement. Instead, they think that most persons do not engage in crime, but some persons will fail under certain conditions. They describe the causes and consequences of white-collar crime and suggest policies for reducing it.
Societal causes of white-collar crime
- Culture of competition.
- Material success seen as virtuous.
Five commonly recognized "neutralization" techniques
Neutralization techniques are rationalizations used by white-collar (and other) criminals to justify their actions.
- Denial of responsibility.
- Denial of injury.
- Denial of victim.
- Appeal to higher loyalties.
- Condemning the condemners
The "rationality" of white-collar crime
White collar crime can be "rational" because white collar criminals enjoy certain "leniency" factors not available to other criminals.
- White collar criminals are punished less than other criminals.
- The rewards of white-collar crime can be very high.
- White collar criminals can afford good attorneys.
Suggestions for controlling white-collar crime
- Be careful about deregulation of industry. Deregulation often amounts to lack of supervision and law enforcement for corporate America.
- Change the culture of competition in corporate America. Emphasize the importance of ethics in business education.
- Greater activism by stockholders to reduce extravagant salaries, mismanagement, and waste in corporations.
- Change the culture of equating material success with virtue. Be consistent in condemning all types of crime.
