White-collar crimes and street crimes differ greatly as they are characterized by different properties and different techniques are used by offenders. It is possible to identify three major properties of white-collar crimes which make them different. White-collar crimes often affect a lot of people and significant sums of money while street crimes tend to be aimed at one person (or several people) and comparatively small sums of money (Benson & Simpson, 2009). It is possible to add that white-collar offenders try to make the crime covert and untraceable while street offenders tend to overtly attack their victims. This leads to the third characteristic feature. White-collar crimes are difficult to detect and even more difficult to prevent as new opportunities are discovered by criminals. When it comes to street crimes, potential victims are more cautious and often know how to react.
As for techniques used, white-collar offenders exploit their position as a way to commit the crime while street offenders act without any reference to their job or, in many cases, they are unemployed (Benson & Simpson, 2009). In the majority of cases, white collar crimes are associated with more preparation than street crimes (Gottschalk, 2010). It is also necessary to note that white-collar offenders often build trustful relationship (or work in the organization which is trusted) with potential victims (Calavita & Pontell, 1990). When it comes to street crimes, offenders tend to approach strangers.
It is possible to consider the way the properties and techniques are used through analysis of health care fraud. First, it is necessary to note that this type of white-collar crime is widespread as the health care industry is one of the associated with billions of dollars in revenues (Sparrow, 1998). More so, the industry includes a variety of operators (health care unit, trust funds, drug companies and so on). It also has millions of consumers. This makes the industry ‘attractive’ for white-collar offenders.
As has been mentioned above, white-collar offenders use their professional authority and position to commit the crime (Gottschalk, 2010). One of such crimes is fraudulent billing which involves including certain services (which were not provided) into medical bills (Feeley, 2014). It has been discovered that over $1 billion was stolen through “phony” medical bills (Sparrow, 1998, p. 2). Admittedly, white-collar crimes need more preparation and health care fraud is one of these crimes. For instance, one type of such crime is, the so-called, ‘Medicaid mills’ (Feeley, 2014). This fraud needs recruitment of ‘patients’ and preparation of some documents as well as implementation of certain procedures. Even such common crime as fraudulent billing needs implementation of some services (incomplete services, a check-up and so on). The final technique to be considered is development of trustful relationship. Every white-collar crime is often committed by a person who has certain position and is trusted to certain extent. When it comes to health care, doctors are trusted as people know little about their bodies and have to rely on health care professionals. This trust enables them to commit their crimes.
On balance, it is possible to note that white-collar crimes are more ‘sophisticated’ than street crimes as the former need more preparation, development of trustful relationship and the use of professional position. The use of these techniques leads to specific characteristics of white-collar crimes. These are covert nature of the crime, difficulty with its detection and prevention and more significant consequences.
Reference List
Benson, M., & Simpson, S.S. (2009). White collar crime: An opportunity perspective. Oxon: Routledge.
Calavita, K., Pontell, H.N. (1990). “Heads I win, tails you lose”: Deregulation, crime, and crisis in the savings and loan industry”. Crime and Delinquency, 36(3), 309-341.
Feeley. (2014). Module IV: Topic 1. Web.
Gottschalk, P. (2010). White-collar crime: Detection, prevention and strategy in business enterprises. Boca Raton, FL: Universal-Publishers.
Sparrow, M.K. (1998). Fraud control in the health care industry: Assessing the state of the art. National Institute of Justice Research in Brief. Web.