WhiteCollar Crime

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White-Collar Crime

• Theory Application

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Differential AssociationEdwin Sutherland
(1883-1950)

• Criminal behavior is learned
• Learned in interaction with others
• Learning occurs within intimate personal groups

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Differential Association

• The learning includes
• techniques of committing the crime
• direction of motives, drives, rationalization
• Directions of motives and drives learned from
  definitions of legal codes as favorable or
  unfavorable
• Delinquency occurs because of an excess of
  definition favorable to violation of law

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Differential Association

• Learning process involves same mechanisms that
  are in involved in other learning
• Differential associations may vary in frequency,
  duration, priority, intensity

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Techniques of NeutralizationSykes Matza

• Denial of Responsibility
• Denial of Injury
• Denial of the Victim
• Condemnation of the Condemners
• Appeal to Higher Loyalties

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How Doctors Defraud MedicaidJesilow, Pontell,
Geis

• Blamed patients, hospitals, labs, or other
  medical professionals. Illegal activities were
  mistakes.
• Breaking the law meant that they were helping
  patients.
• Admit wrongdoing, yet state that they harmed no
  one.
• Blame confusing regulations and bureaucratic
  obstacles.

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Strain TheoryRobert K. Merton 1938

• Cultural system with approved values and goals
• Acceptable norms for achieving the goals
• Inability to acquire the goals results in strain

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Mertons 5 Individual Modes of Adaptation
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Social Bond TheoryTravis Hirschi

• Why dont we commit crime?
• Internalization of law-abiding norms or
  development of social bonds.
• The identification of motivation is secondary.

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Social Bond Theory

• Weakened or broken social bonds reduce a persons
  stake in conformity.
• The weaker the ties the more likely deviance is
  to transpire.

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Social Bonds

• Attachment
• Commitment
• Involvement
• Belief

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A General Theory of Crime (1990)Gottfredson
Hirschi

• crime is the natural consequence of
  unrestrained human tendencies to seek pleasure
  and avoid pain.

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According to Gottfredson Hirschi

• Variations in self-control can account for
  proclivities to commit criminal acts.
• Low self-control increases the likelihood of
  aberrant activity.

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Elements of Self-Control

• Criminal acts provide immediate gratification
• Easy gratification of desires
• Crime is exciting, risky, or thrilling
• Unstable lifestyle

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Characteristics of Low Self-Control

• Impulsive
• Insensitive
• Physical
• Risk-taking
• Short-sighted
• Nonverbal