White-collar crime

Inappropriate executive behaviour
Executive judgemental lapse

Nature

Crimes committed by businessmen, politicians and government employees are common to both developed and developing countries. They include: embezzlement and tax evasion; violations of import and export laws; deliberate deception in labelling and packaging; food adulteration; misappropriation of funds in trust; breaches of monopoly regulations; insurance fraud; arson-for-profit; toxic waste violations; labour racketeering and bribery. Corruption, and more specifically political corruption, involves economic and social costs of serious proportions. White collar crime may also be referred to, after the fact, by euphemisms such as "inappropriate behaviour" and "judgemental lapse".

Illicit gains from white collar crime far exceed those from all other crime combined. One corporate price-fixing conspiracy may criminally convert more money each year than hundreds of burglaries, larcenies or thefts. In fact, these are the most pervasive, most pernicious and most costly crimes of all in society. The likelihood of getting caught is relatively small, the likelihood of getting convicted is even smaller and sentences for white collar crimes are lower than for example for bank robberies.

Background

White-collar crime emerged as a recognized global issue in the early 20th century, notably after sociologist Edwin Sutherland’s 1939 address highlighted its prevalence among professionals and corporations. Subsequent decades saw increased scrutiny as financial scandals, corporate fraud, and regulatory breaches exposed the vast economic and social impacts of such crimes worldwide. International cooperation and investigative journalism have since deepened understanding of its complexity, transnational reach, and persistent challenges to legal and ethical frameworks.

Incidence

White-collar crime continues to pose a significant global challenge, with losses estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars annually. It affects both developed and developing economies, undermining public trust in institutions and destabilizing financial systems. The prevalence of such crimes, including fraud, embezzlement, and insider trading, is exacerbated by increasing digitalization and complex financial instruments, making detection and prosecution difficult.
In 2023, a major white-collar crime case emerged in Germany, where executives at Wirecard AG were convicted of orchestrating a multi-billion-euro accounting fraud. The scandal exposed regulatory weaknesses and had far-reaching consequences for investors and the European financial sector.

Claim

The 1980s saw a major increase in white-collar crime. One reason is that the opportunities became easier. Just as shoplifters do not think that large organizations are real victims, stockbrokers and merchant bankers think much the same of financial institutions when they rig share prices. Another is the destabilization of the market economy and job security, coupled with a decline in identification with a corporate community and rise in anonymity. Frequent job changers do not know who they work with. Their responsibility is to themselves alone.

Counter-claim

White-collar crime is vastly overblown as a societal concern. Unlike violent crimes, it rarely causes direct physical harm, and most losses are absorbed by large corporations or insurance. Resources spent on prosecuting these cases could be better used elsewhere. The media exaggerates its impact, distracting from more pressing issues like poverty and street crime. In reality, white-collar crime is not an important problem and does not deserve the attention it receives.