Beyond General Deterrence in White Collar Crime: Empirical Evidence and Theoretical Perspectives

• NCJ Number: 145153
• Date Published: 1989
• Author(s): D Weisburd; E Chayet; E J Waring
• Length: 28 pages
• Grant Number(s): 88-IJ-CX-0046
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)

Annotation

Although interest in how sanctions influence the criminality of those punished has become a central concern in criminal justice policy and research, deterrence of white collar crime has typically been understood in general terms and effects of punishment on white collar offenders have been examined in relation to corporate rather than individual violators.

Abstract

The authors address the reasons for the emphasis on general deterrence in the study of white collar crime and punishment, and they challenge commonly held beliefs that have led to the exclusion of white collar offenders from policy discussions of deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. Using a sample of offenders convicted of white collar crime, they show that white collar offenders are often repeat offenders with serious criminal records. The authors contend that white collar offenders may be particularly influenced by criminal justice prosecution and sanctions, and they discuss theoretical issues in punishment of white collar crime and the need for further research on white collar criminal careers. 44 references, 11 notes, and 4 tables