Use Of Offender-Based Approaches To White Collar Crime

Offender based approaches to white collar crime is define with emphasis as an essential characteristic of crime dealing with high social status, power, and respectability of the actor. A strength to this type of approach allows the social stigmatism of the “criminal” offender to be destabilized in the public view. Drawing attention to the ideation that people within high society or social standing can and will commit crime. This approach while breaking the social norms of antisocial behavior lends itself to weakness within the theory. While using social standing and status as part of the approach, researchers have a challenging time translating that in to useable data for comparison. The actual cost of the crime can’t always be measured
when confronting the loss of social standing, loss of social circles, jobs, and families. It will also leave out those of lower social status who commit the same offense out of the realm of measurable data. The messages can also be addressed that are being sent to the public about how social standing, status, power can either get an individual out of trouble, make them exempt to governing laws, or lessen the punishment for committing the crimes.

Offense based approaches to white collar crime are reflected as illegal act of series of illegal acts committed by non-physical means and by concealment to obtain money, property, to avoid the payment or loss of money or property, or to obtain business or personal advantage. This approach is based solely on the act itself with no regard to social status of the individuals committing the crimes. The ability to separate out the person from the crime allowing for more measurable data for cost of crime and justice procedures. Taking the social stigmatisms out of the approach can shift the focus to whether an act committed meets the requirements of a crime and how it can be prosecuted. Consequently, it can also be misleading and investigators fall into the mindset of checking off elements of a crime and whether criteria are meet allowing for some crimes to go unpunished. However, the social roles don’t totally disappear within the approach. With the focus on the act itself the approach can miss the crimes committed by the powerful within society or corporation are able to avoid labeling or identification due to the fact only the act is being focused upon.