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Problems of the Detection of Economic Crime at the Police Level

NCJ Number
93532
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 365 Dated: (February 1983) Pages: 41-51
Author(s)
W Wooding
Date Published
1983
Length
11 pages
Annotation
The article discusses the role of the economic crime investigator, investigative strategy, types of economic crime, and evidential problems.
Abstract
Economic crime investigators must identify those complaints in which fraud has probably been committed, define the scope of the fraud, determine that in fact fraud has occurred, and then collect all probative evidence. They must prepare a report for the prosecuting agency. This report should contain the nature of the offense, the proof of the misrepresentation, the financial loss arising or anticipated, the proof of criminal intent, and information on witnesses. Finally, investigators must question the alleged offenders. Economic crimes include banking-related frauds, commercial frauds, retail payment frauds, and investment-related frauds. A specialized unit of such crimes requires specialized knowledge and training, and the public's knowledge of the existence of such a unit encourages the reporting of such crimes. The article lists eight types of scientific evidence as being possibly useful in the investigation of an economic crime, describes procedures for gaining access to the bank account of a suspect and discusses obtaining evidence from other official bodies and ways of dealing with other evidential problems. Issues involved in the decision to prosecute and tactics used by an economic crime offender to prevent conviction are considered. The concluding section identifies the problems of conducting a successful investigation that goes beyond the identification and conviction of the 'front man' to the person or persons responsible for designing the fraud scheme.