Deck 19: White Collar and Corporate Crime

Question 1

The 'rotten apple' form of denial is frequently used by corporations that
have been engaged in wrongdoing is to claim that the activities were the fault of a few 'rotten apples' or maverick individuals.
The 'rotten apple' form of denial is frequently used by corporations that
have been engaged in wrongdoing is to claim that the activities were the fault of a few 'rotten apples' or maverick individuals.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Edwin's Sutherland's category 'white collar crime' has been criticised because:

A)some of his 'deviant' categories are normal business practice
B)Some of the activities are not prosecuted as 'crimes'
C)The crimes committed in organisations are different from the bulk of criminal offences
D)They are very difficult to detect

Answer 2

some of his 'deviant' categories are normal business practice
Some of the activities are not prosecuted as 'crimes'
The crimes committed in organisations are different from the bulk of criminal offences

Question 3

Which of the following are considered 'white collar crime'?

A)Informal rewards (Perks, use of company phone etc)
B)Work avoidance/manipulation of work situation (undertaking leisure activities during work hours)
C)Employee deviance: against the organisation (Stealing, absenteeism, neglect)
D)Employee deviance: for the organisation ( Bending rules, cutting corners, failing to observe regulations in order to improve performance)

Answer 3

Informal rewards (Perks, use of company phone etc)
Work avoidance/manipulation of work situation (undertaking leisure activities during work hours)
Employee deviance: against the organisation (Stealing, absenteeism, neglect)
Employee deviance: for the organisation ( Bending rules, cutting corners, failing to observe regulations in order to improve performance)

Question 4

Which of the following are considered 'corporate crime'?

A)Organisational deviance: for the organisation - Acts of commission or omission which are supported, overtly or covertly, by senior management
B)Keeping business deals secret for competitive reasons
C)Managerial deviance: against the organisation - The deliberate victimization of the company by senior managers for personal gain

Question 5

The victims of white collar and corporate crime are:

A)the very wealthy
B)the very poor
C)individuals
D)communities

Question 6

What is the difference between white-collar and corporate crime?

Question 7

When talking about his study of theft at work what did Ditton mean when he said these activities are best viewed as a 'subculture of legitimate commerce'?

Question 8

Why do Tombs and White say that what they call 'safety crimes' should not be portrayed as 'accidents' or as events which are the result of 'human error'?

Question 9

What is the approach taken by critical theorists for understanding corporate crime?

Question 10

Why has white-collar and corporate crime remained at the margins of criminological attention?

A)There is less social and political interest in these areas of activity.
B)Media attention paid to white-collar and corporate crime is minimal
C)The crimes do not affect very many people
D)It is difficult to research; much activity of this kind is 'private' and hidden

Question 11

How many fatal occupational injuries did the HSE record for the period 2001/02?

A)57
B)633
C)2000

Question 12

Many of the victims of corporate crimes are organisations rather than individuals.

Question 13

One feature of much corporate or white-collar offending is that it is characterised by a denial of 'harm'.

Question 14

Government statistics reveal the widespread extent of corporate crime.

Question 15

Around twice as many people die each year as the result of accidents at work (including those concerning road traffic accidents) then die as a result of murder in the UK.

Question 16

Why are crimes such as embezzlement and fraud relatively rare in court?

A)Because there are no terms to describe these activities
B)Because they are policed in different ways and, arguably, subject to different standards
C)Because respectable, professional people do not commit crime

Question 17

How can 'white collar' or 'corporate' crime be differentiated from other types of criminal activity?

A)It is more concerned with activities less likely to be viewed as 'crimes'.
B)It only concerns people who work in offices
C)It has very little impact on society

Question 18

Edwin Sutherland (1883-1950) - first coined the term 'white-collar criminal' in:

A)1910
B)1900
C)1939

Question 19

Why have studies of 'fiddles' in the workplace shown it to be accepted as a 'perk' rather than theft?

A)they are regarded as 'normal'
B)most are never known about
C)companies don't really mind if their employees steal from them

Question 20

How might the social status of corporate or organisational offenders make them more likely to be prosecuted?