AC 1.1 Analyse different types of crime Unit 1 Changing awareness of crime
White-collar crime – A non-violent crime committed for financial gain. Also
known as organised, corporate or professional crime.
Bribery and corruption in government and business
Fiddling expenses
Professional misconduct
Fraud
Embezzlement
Tax evasion
Organised crime – Criminal activities that are planned and controlled by
powerful groups and carried out on a large scale.
E.g. The Mafia, an international criminal gang, originally from Sicily and
mainland Italy, and commonly found in the US. They have a strict hierarchy
and a ruthless behavioural code.
Responsible for extortion, protection rackets, drug dealing, smuggling,
prostitution, murder, practically anything that will make them money.
Corporate crime – Crimes committed either by a corporation (business) or by
an individual acting on behalf of a corporation.
Paperwork and non-compliance: not complying with health and safety
regulations.
Environmental (green) crimes: damaging the environment either
deliberately or through negligence.
Manufacturing offences: producing unsafe products.
Labour law violations: not complying with worker health and safety
policies, e.g. overworking employees.
Unfair trade practises: false advertising; price-fixing; illegally obtaining
information on rival businesses.
Financial offences: tax evasion concealment of losses or debts.
Examples of corporate crime
The Bhopal disaster, India, 1984
A chemical factory started leaking deadly gas due to a faulty valve, it was
located next to an over-crowded slum, and so over 500,000 people were
exposed to the gas. The gas caused peoples lungs to fill up with fluid, most of
the victims died from either cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. This
catastrophe killed at least 3,700 people and over 500,000 were harmed.
, AC 1.1 Analyse different types of crime Unit 1 Changing awareness of crime
Thalidomide, United Kingdom, 1950’s
Thalidomide was developed by the drug company Chemie Gruenthal but was
not adequately tested. It was sold under the name ‘distavel’ and its target
audience was pregnant women, to cure morning sickness. This resulted in over
10,000 babies being born with malformed limbs, which then led to break ups in
marriages and even suicide. No one was ever prosecuted.
Professional crime – People for whom crime is their permanent occupation
and primary source of income.
Could be the result of living in poverty, having mental health issues, being
unemployed or being born in crime culture (family/friends).
Major drug dealers
Bank robbers
Assassins
Human traffickers
Prostitution
Types of victim – Usually those who have the funds to invest in a finance
scheme, e.g. recently retired workers. Often, people are recruited by friends or
acquaintances. This is particularly the case for ponzi schemes, which are
fraudulent investment scams promising high rates of return with little risk to
investors. However, the returns are funded by money from new investors as
the offender keeps the initial investment for their own use.
Types of offender – Usually people of respectability and high social status, who
are trusted by the victims. They often work in commercial employment, hence
the reference of wearing a white-collared shirt and tie. Offenders can also
involve organised groups such as the Mafia (Italy, USA), Triads (China), Yakuza
(Japan), as well as organised crime gangs in Eastern Europe and the UK.
Level of public awareness – Many white-collar crimes are difficult to prosecute
because the perpetrators use sophisticated means to conceal their activities
through a series of complex transactions. The offender usually appears to be a
respectable person and therefore suspicion is not aroused. Consequently, the
level of public awareness is often low, especially as violence-related crimes are
more widely publicised.
White-collar crime – A non-violent crime committed for financial gain. Also
known as organised, corporate or professional crime.
Bribery and corruption in government and business
Fiddling expenses
Professional misconduct
Fraud
Embezzlement
Tax evasion
Organised crime – Criminal activities that are planned and controlled by
powerful groups and carried out on a large scale.
E.g. The Mafia, an international criminal gang, originally from Sicily and
mainland Italy, and commonly found in the US. They have a strict hierarchy
and a ruthless behavioural code.
Responsible for extortion, protection rackets, drug dealing, smuggling,
prostitution, murder, practically anything that will make them money.
Corporate crime – Crimes committed either by a corporation (business) or by
an individual acting on behalf of a corporation.
Paperwork and non-compliance: not complying with health and safety
regulations.
Environmental (green) crimes: damaging the environment either
deliberately or through negligence.
Manufacturing offences: producing unsafe products.
Labour law violations: not complying with worker health and safety
policies, e.g. overworking employees.
Unfair trade practises: false advertising; price-fixing; illegally obtaining
information on rival businesses.
Financial offences: tax evasion concealment of losses or debts.
Examples of corporate crime
The Bhopal disaster, India, 1984
A chemical factory started leaking deadly gas due to a faulty valve, it was
located next to an over-crowded slum, and so over 500,000 people were
exposed to the gas. The gas caused peoples lungs to fill up with fluid, most of
the victims died from either cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. This
catastrophe killed at least 3,700 people and over 500,000 were harmed.
, AC 1.1 Analyse different types of crime Unit 1 Changing awareness of crime
Thalidomide, United Kingdom, 1950’s
Thalidomide was developed by the drug company Chemie Gruenthal but was
not adequately tested. It was sold under the name ‘distavel’ and its target
audience was pregnant women, to cure morning sickness. This resulted in over
10,000 babies being born with malformed limbs, which then led to break ups in
marriages and even suicide. No one was ever prosecuted.
Professional crime – People for whom crime is their permanent occupation
and primary source of income.
Could be the result of living in poverty, having mental health issues, being
unemployed or being born in crime culture (family/friends).
Major drug dealers
Bank robbers
Assassins
Human traffickers
Prostitution
Types of victim – Usually those who have the funds to invest in a finance
scheme, e.g. recently retired workers. Often, people are recruited by friends or
acquaintances. This is particularly the case for ponzi schemes, which are
fraudulent investment scams promising high rates of return with little risk to
investors. However, the returns are funded by money from new investors as
the offender keeps the initial investment for their own use.
Types of offender – Usually people of respectability and high social status, who
are trusted by the victims. They often work in commercial employment, hence
the reference of wearing a white-collared shirt and tie. Offenders can also
involve organised groups such as the Mafia (Italy, USA), Triads (China), Yakuza
(Japan), as well as organised crime gangs in Eastern Europe and the UK.
Level of public awareness – Many white-collar crimes are difficult to prosecute
because the perpetrators use sophisticated means to conceal their activities
through a series of complex transactions. The offender usually appears to be a
respectable person and therefore suspicion is not aroused. Consequently, the
level of public awareness is often low, especially as violence-related crimes are
more widely publicised.
