NCJ Number
140370
Date Published
1992
Length
25 pages
Annotation
The work of Edwin Sutherland has had an enormous influence over the study of white-collar crime, but new work during the last two decades has linked the theory of white- collar crime with more general social psychological paradigms, a broader understanding of the operation of the contemporary political economy, and the growing field of organizational behavior.
Abstract
Although Sutherland's theoretical contribution is often seen solely in terms of the differential association theory, he also contributed to a sophisticated theory about the structural origins of white-collar crime. Although the recent literature contains many conflicting perspectives and conclusions, a general framework for understanding white- collar crime is beginning to emerge at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. Thus, this work has focused on the social psychology of white-collar crime and the motivation of individual criminals, the societal structures that produce white-collar offenses, and the causes and nature of corporate crime. The literature reveals strong parallels in the forces that produce white-collar crime on these three levels, and the next step should be to integrate the emerging frameworks into a coherent whole. 66 references