Why Study White Collar Crime

Why do we study white collar crime ? Why should we study white collar crime? These are just two questions that are hardly looked over by society. The way to answer these two important questions is to start off with the definition of what is actually a white collar crime. There are two ways white collar crime could be defined. The first way white collar crime could be defined is as “a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in course of his occupation”. This definition was by created by Edwin Sutherland in 1939. Another definition was created as a way to fill in the gap for Edwin Sutherland’s definition. The second definition, made by the FBI, describes white collar crime as a “non-violent, illegal activities such
as : deceit, concealment, or violation of trust, that are committed by individuals or business and government organizations for financial or personal gain”. The reason we need to know the definition of white collar crime is to help us understand what we need to study white collar crime. There are six reasons we study white collar crime.
Not a lot of people would think that white collar crime would effect them, but they do. White collar crime is a social problem, it does affect everyone, it’s able to help learn about all types of crime, it helps develop effective prevention and intervention polices, it provides information about potential jobs and how it offers insight into particular cultures and subcultures. White collar crime is a serious problem in society. There are more losses to white collar crime than traditional crime. Around $250 million dollars to $1 trillion dollars in white collar crime losses than a regular street crimes. The average embezzlement cost is around $1 million dollars while the street crime of robbery cost around $1,032 dollars. Not only does white collar crime effect people financially, but also emotionally and physically. White collar crime affects everyone. Compared to street crime, white collar offenses involve large groups of victims and have far reaching social affects. Taking money from a company does not only means taking money from one person, but it means taking money from multiple people. From white collar crimes, criminologist can get insight into all different types of offenders and offenses as like a medical researcher would do. White collar crime develops effective preventions and intervention policies. The reason we study white collar crime is to develop preventions for future offenses. Studying white collar crime creates jobs in the criminal justice system that responds to white collar offenses. White collar offending is different from traditional offending, since it is different college degrees are usually required to have to be able to critically think towards a better understanding of white collar crime. Last reason why we should study white collar crime is because it gives insight into particular cultures a subcultures. Studying white collar crime gives an insight on the American workforce and
occupational subcultures such as being a doctor or a mechanic. An example of this would be comparing a trip to the doctors compared to the mechanics. Many would assume distrust with a mechanic, but not with your doctor even though it can happen between both occupations. Studying white collar crime can help many people understand that white collar crime is significant social problem and not only effects one person, but many people. Studying white collar crime gives insight on offenders, offenses, cultures and subcultures. Studying about white collar crimes allows a variety of careers in the criminal justice system which ables us to create effective prevention and intervention polices.