In Chapter 12 Of The Primary Text, Siegel 2015 Defines White

In Chapter 12 Of The Primary Text Siegel 2015 Defines White Collar

In Chapter 12 of the primary text, Siegel (2015) defines white collar crime and describes the profile of the typical white collar offender. In your initial response to this week’s discussion, define white collar crime and economic crime in your own words, and describe the typical white collar crime offender. In addition, also define what is enterprise crime in your own words. Discuss the aforementioned using terms associated with the study of crime and criminology. In addition, also discuss the challenges addressing white collar crime.

Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length. Support your contentions with citations from the text and/or other scholarly sources. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses.

Paper For Above instruction

White collar crime, as defined by Siegel (2015), refers to unlawful activities committed by individuals or organizations in the course of their professional lives, typically involving deceit, concealment, or violation of trust for financial gain. This category of crime is distinguished from street-level offenses by its association with non-violent, occupational misconduct that often occurs within corporate, government, or professional settings. Economic crime, a subset of white collar crime, pertains specifically to illegal acts committed to obtain financial advantages, including fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, and money laundering. These crimes undermine economic stability and erode public trust in financial institutions and markets.

The typical white collar offender is often characterized as an individual with a high level of education, holding a managerial or professional position within an organization. These offenders tend to display characteristics such as a rational orientation towards their misconduct, often rationalizing their criminal behavior as necessary or justified (Siegel, 2015). They usually possess a sense of entitlement and exhibit a propensity for deception, leveraging their knowledge of the system to commit and conceal their crimes effectively. Moreover, their social status and occupational position often provide them with the authority and opportunity to commit white collar offenses with minimal fear of detection or prosecution.

Enterprise crime, in my own words, refers to illegal activities conducted by organized groups or enterprises that operate systematically to commit criminal acts for profit. Unlike individual white collar offenders, enterprise crime involves organized, often complex networks that engage in multiple criminal enterprises simultaneously, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, or large-scale financial fraud. These enterprises use sophisticated methods and resources to evade law enforcement, making their crimes particularly challenging to investigate and prosecute.

Addressing white collar crime presents significant challenges for law enforcement and the criminal justice system. First, the intricate and often covert nature of these crimes makes detection difficult; perpetrators usually operate within legal boundaries, exploiting nuances in regulation or financial practices (Friedrichs, 2010). Second, the sophisticated techniques employed by white collar offenders require specialized knowledge and resources, which may not always be available to investigators. Additionally, the jurisdictional complexities of transnational white collar crimes complicate enforcement efforts across borders. The high cost and length of investigations, coupled with legal hurdles such as prosecutorial discretion and limits on sentencing, further hinder efforts to effectively address white collar offenses (Kaufmann et al., 2017). Lastly, societal perceptions often diminish the perceived severity of white collar crime, leading to weaker penalties and less priority in law enforcement agendas compared to more traditional street crimes.

In conclusion, white collar crime encompasses a broad spectrum of financially motivated illegal activities committed by individuals in professional roles, with enterprise crime representing the organized and systematic expression of such criminality. Overcoming the challenges associated with white collar crime requires enhanced investigative capabilities, cross-jurisdictional cooperation, and a societal recognition of the gravity of these offenses to ensure justice and maintain economic integrity.

References

Friedrichs, D. O. (2010). Trusted criminals: White collar crime in plain sight. Routledge.

Kaufmann, D., Shapiro, M., & Weaver, M. (2017). White Collar Crime: Theories and Practice. Routledge.

Siegel, L. J. (2015). Criminology: The Core (6th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Sutherland, E. H. (1949). White Collar Crime. Dryden Press.

Friedrichs, D. O. (2017). Corporate crime and accountability. In Criminology (pp. 291-311). Routledge.

Crane, A. (2013). Corporate crime and criminal justice. Routledge.

Levi, M. (2008). Organized crime and illicit markets. Routledge.

Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the sociology of deviance. Free Press.

Gabbidon, S. L., & Greene, H. (2013). Criminological perspectives on white-collar crime. Routledge.

Theobald, D. (2014). Crime and Criminology (7th ed.). Cengage Learning.