NCJ Number
69660
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1980) Pages: 195-200
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The counterfeit of paper currency is a threat to the political state and its citizens in any country in which it appears; thus counterfeiting of currency and the possession of counterfeit currency are crimes.
Abstract
Many U.S. Federal statutes pertain to the counterfeiting of currency, the seizing of vehicles used to transport counterfeit money, the counterfeiting of U.S. currency overseas, and the counterfeiting of foreign currency in the U.S. Such laws are enacted because currency is the standard of economic power which is backed by some substance of intrinsic value (gold). Currency is bolstered by the assets and economic stability of that particular nation. The amount of counterfeit currency in circulation would affect everyone who recieved the counterfeit money and could not pass it on. A country dealing with other countries must be able to lend credibility to the value of its currency for inter-nation purchasing power. Methods for counterfeiting include the offset press method (with photographs), intaglio printing, typographic reproduction, 'bleaching,' and even some poor quality Xerox reproductions. U.S. money is protected from counterfeiting its quality of paper, the existence of blue and red fibers that can be plucked from the bill, and the difficulty in reproducing seals and portraits. Other countries currency is also protected by such safety checks. It is the cooperation among agencies, in the U.S. and in foreign countries, that account to a great extent for successful seizures of counterfeit bills. The assistance of the public in reporting counterfeiting to local and Federal police officials has helped speed the capture of suspects and has resulted in the confiscation of counterfeit monies. The counterfeiter does not commit crimes of violence, yet counterfeiting activities are defined by society as criminal by legal statute. These criminals' deviant behavior threatens the foundations of organized society--economy, and incurs losses by specific individuals, banks, and businesses. Counterfeiting continues to be widespread, is international in scope, and presents a major challenge worldwide for study and control. Tables show statistics for monies seized and circulation of such counterfeits.