The Concept of White-Collar

Crime
The term white-collar crime
was coined in the 1930s by
Edwin Sutherland who
defined it as crime
committed by a person of
respectability and high
social status in the course
of his occupation.

The Concept of White-Collar

Crime
The U.S. Congress
defined white-collar
crime as an illegal act
or series of illegal acts
committed by nonphysical means and by
concealment or guile,
to obtain money or
property, or to obtain
business or personal
advantage.

White-Collar Crime
Violations of the criminal
law committed
by a
person of respectability
and high
social status,
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White-Collar Crime
in the
course of
his or her
occupation
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White-Collar Crime
Chief criterion for a
crime to be white-collar
is that it occurs as part
of, or a deviation from,
the violators
occupational role
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White-Collar Crime
the financial costs of all
the crimes which
are customarily
regarded as the
crime problem
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White-Collar Crime
White-collar
criminals are
far less
likely to be
investigated,
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White-Collar Crime
arrested, or
prosecuted
than are other
types of
offenders
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White-Collar Crime
The financial cost of
white-collar crime is
probably several
times as great as
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White-Collar Crime
the financial costs of all
the crimes which are
customarily regarded as the
crime problem
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Types of White Collar Crime

Individual offences
Against employer
Theft, fraud

Against customer
Overcharging, fraud, identity theft, various e-crimes

Against employee
Theft, embezzlement

Against other companies

Insurance fraud

Against the State

Tax evasion, benefit fraud

Essentials of
Criminal Liability
To be convicted of a crime, a
person must:
Commit a guilty act (actus reus).
Have the guilty mind (mens rea)
during commission of the guilty act.

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A rre s t
( R e q u ir e s P r o b a b le C a u s e )

Criminal
Process

In it ia l A p p e a r a n c e
(B e fo re J u d g e )

P r e lim in a r y H e a r in g
( D e t e rm in e s P r o b a b le C a u s e )

G ra n d J u ry

D .A 's O f f ic e

A r ra ig n m e n t
P le a B a r g a in

T r ia l

C h a n g e o f P le a t o G u ilty

P r o s e c u to r m u s t p r o v e
g u i lt b e y o n d r e a s o n a b l e d o u b t

S e n te n c in g
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