White-Collar and Corporate Crime

This chapter has one main objective: to present a succinct overview of key debates and ideas associated with theory, research and practice in the area of white-collar and corporate crimes. First, we think about white-collar and corporate crimes in the 21st Century, contextualising these phenomena and reinforcing their criminological significance, despite their analysis remaining at the margins of mainstream discourse. Second, we revisit on-going conceptual debates, identifying central analytical features of white-collar and corporate crimes before going on to argue in favour of shifting attention towards understanding how white-collar crimes are organised and the conditions that shape this over time. Third, we look at ways of explaining these behaviours, ranging from consideration of individual propensities and rationality, through organisational context and culture, to wider social conditions. Fourth, we analyse current policing and regulation strategies. We conclude with a discussion of key themes in white-collar crime research and scholarship.