White Collar Crime: The Role Of The Firm In Occupational Crime

Abstract

This research examines the relationships between elements of a business organization and the commission of occupational crimes. This research hypothesizes that the factors identified by existing literature as factors contributing to organizational crime may also contribute to occupational crime. Using the concept of the Fraud Triangle as a framework, five aspects of corporations are identified as areas that may motivate crime, provide opportunity for crime, or allow for the rationalization of criminal actions. This research finds that corporate size, inadequate oversight, organizational goals, organizational morality, and compensation structures may play a role in occupational crime. These five factors are subsequently classified as either structural or social aspects of an organization, and a more detailed system of causal factor classification as related to occupational crime is proposed.