White collar crimes involve lying, cheating, and stealing, and are characterized by non-violence and high levels of sophistication. The category has broadened to include professional-related crimes committed by wealthy and influential individuals. These crimes are difficult to prosecute and often involve staged accidents. Despite the difficulty, white-collar cases are commonly taken to court, but justice is hampered by the fact that many of the alleged criminals have the means to obtain highly qualified lawyers.
White collar cases are legal proceedings for a broad category of crimes. While they are executed by different means, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) summarizes the crimes as involving lying, cheating, and stealing. These cases are generally characterized by non-violence and high levels of sophistication to avoid detection. Examples include Ponzi schemes, credit card fraud and embezzlement. These cases are also generally difficult to prosecute.
One of the initial difficulties in dealing with white-collar cases is determining who should or should not be included in this category. This topic alone is the subject of much debate. The term white collar is attributed to a sociologist named Edwin Sutherland and the definition of him had three main elements. First, the criminal was a respectable person. Secondly, the individual was of high social standing, and thirdly, the crime was committed in the course of the criminal’s occupation.
Professional-related crimes committed by wealthy and influential individuals such as chief executive officers (CEOs) defrauding their employees’ pension funds or politicians awarding contracts based on kickbacks are still considered white-collar cases. The category has broadened considerably, however, to include many more people and acts since Sutherland introduced the term. These include account holders who engage in credit card scams to get higher credit limits and motorists who arrange accidents to defraud insurance companies.
A common element in these cases is that the motive is generally to get something. In many cases it is about money, but some people are looking for credit or material goods. White-collar crimes are non-violent crimes, leading many to view them as victimless crimes. This assumption is incorrect because annual financial losses from these crimes amount to billions of US dollars (USD). Other consequences include the destruction of businesses and severe hardship for families.
Another common similarity in white-collar cases is that they are often difficult to prosecute due to the methods of execution. Staged accidents are a good example. Consider that there are two cars, vehicle A and vehicle B, which appear to be complete strangers to other motorists. Vehicle A may drive recklessly and cause a reaction from vehicle B, such as a sudden stop. Vehicle C may crash into the rear of vehicle B and be held at fault for the accident, and all passengers in vehicle B will be compensated by vehicle C’s insurance company.
Criminal intent in such a case is extremely difficult to prove. Despite the difficulty, white-collar cases are commonly taken to court. There are attorneys who specialize in providing defense for these offences. Many people argue that justice in these cases is also hampered by the fact that many of the alleged criminals have the means to obtain highly qualified lawyers. As a result, their cases are dismissed at higher rates, or those found guilty tend to receive lighter sentences.
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