FROM WHITE COLLAR CRIME TO EXPLOITATION - REDEFINITION OF A FIELD

• NCJ Number: 16094
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1974) Pages: 225-233
• Author(s): H E Pepinsky
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Northwestern University; Williams and Wilkins Co
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CRITIQUE OF SUTHERLAND'S DEFINITION OF CRIME AS A 'LEGALLY DEFINED SOCIAL INJURY' FOR WHICH A 'PENAL SANCTION' IS PROVIDED.

Abstract

IT IS ARGUED THAT WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE CRIME CAN NOT BE ADEQUATELY DISTINGUISHED USING SUTHERLAND'S DEFINITION AND THAT HIS CHARACTERIZATION OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME FAILS TO ELIMINATE THE SOCIAL BIAS INHERENT IN PREVIOUS DEFINITIONS OF CRIME. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT SOCIAL INJURIES COMMONLY DEPICTED AS WHITE COLLAR CRIMES CAN MORE ACCURATELY BE REDEFINED UNDER THE BROADER CATEGORY OF EXPLOITATION, WHICH, IT IS HELD, IS A SOCIOECONOMICALLY UNBIASED, CONCEPTUALLY UNITARY AREA FOR RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICATION.