Concept of White-Collar Crime (From Ethics, Public Policy, and Criminal Justice, P 59-77, 1982, Frederick Elliston and Norman Bowie, eds. - See NCJ-86248)

• NCJ Number: 86252
• Author(s): A J Reck
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Oelgeschlager, Gunn and Hain Publishers, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This essay sketches the components of a general explanation of crime and designates the main areas for application, particularly with reference to white collar crime.

Abstract

The components of a general explanation of crime are (1) the efficient cause or agent, (2) the material cause or occupation, (3) the formal cause or law, and (4) the final cause or end of the action. The efficient cause or agent in white collar crime is an individual, a group or association, or an institution or corporation. In white collar crime, the material cause of the crime is the occupation of the perpetrator. Occupation refers to the particular job a person does, to a profession, to an entire industry, or to any line of work within a broad enterprise. Crimes are occupational when committed in the course of performing the occupation. Obviously, some occupations are excluded from functioning as material causes of white collar crime, because they do not involve efficient causes that qualify as white collar agents. The formal cause of crime is the criminal law. The rational aim of the system of criminal laws is to control behavior by directing it away from actions deemed harmful to citizens and toward actions considered objectively beneficial. In an effort to control harmful behavior in occupations, law has expanded in the areas of the professions, business, and politics. The final cause or end of white collar crime, unlike crimes of passion and even street crimes, is a rational and deliberate effort to obtain an undeserved good, such as wealth and power. Twenty-two notes are listed.