White collar crimes are associated with different social classes. The working class are more likely to commit crimes like theft and violence due to higher visibility. The middle class are more likely to commit fraud, embezzlement and petty theft as these are less likely to be reported to the police. The upper class are more likely to commit insider trading, market rigging and environmental crimes, which are less visible. White collar crimes include occupational, professional, corporate and state crimes. They are more difficult to define than blue collar crimes. Corporations may commit crimes like dangerous sales, breaking health and safety laws, and pollution for profit. Victims can include consumers, employees and the public. Marxists argue that corporate crime is part of the capitalist

1. WHITE COLLAR CRIME

2. SOCIAL CLASS What kinds of crimes are associated with each class and why? Working class? – Middle class? – Upper class? –

3. SOCIAL CLASS What kinds of crimes are associated with each class and why? Working class? – theft from property, violence. Higher visibility leads to greater detection Middle class? – fraud, embezzlement, petty theft, personal work etc, more likely to get the sack than reported to the police. Upper class? – insider trading, environmental crime, market rigging etc. Less visible to the police and public

4. Middle Class Crimes Occupational crime Professional Crime Corporate Crime State crime ACTIVITY 1

5. Sutherland 1949 White collar crime Not all crime is committed by the Working Class White collar jobs now outnumber blue collar jobs but defining white collar crime is problematic More opportunities because middle class and professionals work on their own and given greater trust

6. Gerry Mars1985 Cheats at work White collar workers don’t always see their activities as criminal but as ‘perks’ Played down because ‘everyone does it’ Fiddling is largely under-reported which masks crime statistics Nick Leeson cheated Barings Bank out of $1.3b

7. What are the possible reasons for not reporting? According to Carson (71) No clear individual victim Society suffers not the firm Firms don’t want the publicity Often dealt with by the company Disciplined, demoted or sacked

8. In general the higher up you are in the social class hierarchy; The less likely you are to be arrested If arrested, to be prosecuted If prosecuted, to be found guilty If found guilty, to be given a prison sentence

9. Corporate Crimes Sales of goods KNOWN to be dangerous Breaking health and safety laws Polluting the environment and dumping poisonous waste Done in the interests of the company often with the knowledge and approval of the bosses Main aim is to increase profits

10. Corporate Crime Read section on page 198

11. How does Merton explain corporate crime? Why are some businesses more likely to offend than others? Which businesses are more likely to offend than others Name one similarity and one difference between a bank robber and a business Give an example of an organised crime syndicate What are the key features of a white collar crime? What does Micheal Clark (90) argue about white collar crimes? Why is corporate crime not defined and labelled in the same way as ordinary crime? Why is corporate crime not revealed in police statistics?

12. MARXIST VIEW What would Marxists say about corporate crime? Who are the victims?

13. MARIST VIEW This is the way capitalist economic system works Victims include Consumers false advertising claims Over charged or wrongly charged (faulty service) Eat wrong foods Take medicines that make us worse Employers 500 people are killed each year - ‘accidents’- due to faulty H&S procedures Public We are all victims of crimes against the environment Government spending

14. FIND AN EXAMPLE OF A WHITE COLLAR AND CORPORATE CRIMES THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NEWS TODAY

15. STATE CRIME Governments MAKE AND BREAK laws. International treaties and agreements Torture and imprisonment (Abu Ghraib) Execution Atrocities against minorities

16. How widespread is corporate crime in UK? Read pg 28 (Swale) and summarise Slapper and Tombs (99) argument. Homework Identify and briefly explain three criticisms of Marxist theory of crime [12] You must - Provide research evidence You could also – compare/contrast with functionalist theory

17. CHECK YOUR LEARNING What is meant by occupational crime [1] What occupational crimes are possible for doctors and supermarket checkout operators? [2] What is the difference between white collar and corporate crime [2] Which 3 groups of people can be victims of corporate crime? Give an example of how how it affects each of them [6] Why are Marxists particularly interested in corporate crime? [4]