NCJ Number
84929
Date Published
1980
Length
261 pages
Annotation
Several academics discuss white-collar crime issues (crime consequences, corporate violations, law enforcement's and the regulatory role in combating such crime, etc.) and relate these issues to a needed research and action agenda on white-collar crime.
Abstract
One paper addresses the different impacts of white-collar crime, such as financial and physical harm, damage to the moral climate, and loss of trust in institutions and leadership, and concludes that the indirect consequences of economic crime (i.e., its impact on the social fabric) are of considerably greater significance than dollar losses. Thus, any research program should study directly the nature of this impact, with attention to individual perceptions of the seriousness of white-collar crime and corporate criminality. Another paper suggests that police involvement in white-collar crime enforcement is important and will show the public that government enforcement efforts are serious. A third paper notes that regulatory agencies are not likely to seek sanctions where such action is not seen as increasing compliance and that studies should focus on how regulatory agencies exercise discretion in choosing between remedies and the deterrent effect of cases they do refer for prosecution. Another author examines corporate violations of the Corrupt Practices Act, suggesting that research focus on those organizational forces which impel individuals into corporate crime. Other authors suggest a multidisciplinary approach to white-collar crime research and a classification scheme for analyzing enforcement agencies' goals and activities. The text includes over 100 references and endnotes, along with a list of colloquium participants.