NCJ Number
44919
Editor(s)
I ELBER
Date Published
1977
Length
170 pages
Annotation
BUSINESSES FAIL TO UTILIZE THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND PERSONS IN THE SYSTEM DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM. MEASURES TO BRING THE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER AND TO THE STUDY OF THIS TYPE OF CRIME ARE SUGGESTED.
Abstract
BECAUSE MANAGEMENT IS RELUCTANT TO RESORT TO PROSECUTION WHEN FACED WITH NONVIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS EMBEZZLEMENT, INSURANCE FRAUD BY ARSON, COMPUTER CRIMES, EMPLOYEE PILFERING, AND SHOPLIFTING BY JUVENILES, THERE ARE FEW RELIABLE SOURCES OF DATA AND LITTLE EXPERTISE AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS ARE SUGGESTED FOR THE FOLLOWING: 1) TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT; 2) ESTABLISHING ECONOMIC CRIME UNITS; 3) TRAINING THE UNITS; 4) ESTABLISHING AN ARSON TASK FORCE; 5) TRAINING THE TASK FORCE; 6) JUDICIAL EDUCATION ON ECONOMIC CRIME; AND 7) DEMOTIVATION STRATEGIES, CONCENTRATING ON PROGRAMS CONCERNING YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE CRIMES OF SHOPLIFTING AND VANDALISM. THESE PROGRAMS ARE PART OF THREE MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE STRATEGIES; DEFENSE, DETERRENCE, AND DEMOTIVATON. PROPOSALS INCLUDE OBJECTIVES, SITE SELECTION GUIDELINES, AND PROJECT ORGANIZATION. SINCE THERE IS A LACK OF OBJECTIVE DATA CONCERNING THE MAGNITUDE OF NONVIOLENT CRIME AGAINST BUSINESS, A NUMBER OF RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE RECOMMENDED. THEY INCLUDE AN ECONOMETRIC STUDY OF THE SOCIAL COSTS OF THIS TYPE OF CRIME; A PROGRAM OF SPECULATION BY COMPUTER EXPERTS ON HOW COMPUTERS MAY BE USED IN CRIME, AND HOW SUCH A USE MAY BE DETERRED; RESEARCH FOCUSING ON RELEVANT LAWS AND SENTENCING PROCEDURES; EXPLORATION OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF SEPARATE COURTS FOR CRIMES SUCH AS SHOPLIFTING; DETERMINING PREDICTORS OF INSURANCE FRAUD; IMPROVEMENT OF COOPERATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND BETWEEN BUSINESS AND OTHER BUSINESS; AND IDENTIFYING MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES THAT HELP TO DETER EMPLOYEE THEFT. TWO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT THIS TYPE OF CRIME AND TO DISSEMINATE IT TO THE PUBLIC, BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NATIONAL DATA BASE (WHICH WOULD INVOLVE THE SOLUTION OF MANY OF THE DATA COLLECTION PROBLEMS NOTED ABOVE AND WOULD INCLUDE MUCH OF THE SUGGESTED RESEARCH) AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ECONOMIC CRIME INSTITUTE TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, INITIATE RESEARCH PROJECTS IN SUCH AREAS AS ASSET PROTECTION AND CRIMINAL STATISTICS, EXECUTE MANY OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS, AND DEVELOP THE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND EDUCATION PACKAGES SUGGESTED BY THE TASK FORCE. APPENDIXES TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS DESCRIBE THE TERMS OF THE LEAA GRANT, THE PROCESS OF PLANNING TO MEET THE GRANT OBJECTIVES, A LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE CRIMES AGAINST BUSINESS COUNCIL, A SUMMARY OF THE INDEPTH INTERVIEWS WHICH WERE CONDUCTED WITH A VARIETY OF SPECIALISTS IN ECONOMIC CRIME, THE CONCEPT PAPERS WHICH WERE DEVELOPED CONCERNING THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS, AND A SUMMARY OF AMERICAN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION WORKSHOPS FOR THE PROJECT.