9 Elements of occupational crime

Several elements can be discerned in occupational crime. The more reporting ones are:

L It involves violation of legal codes.

2. It takes place directly or indirectly in connection with a legitimate occupation.

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3. It aims at gaining money.

4. The crime is not against a specific individual or a firm but is against society at large. There is therefore no specific victim who would complain.

5. Earlier only ‘a person of high status’ committing this crime was considered a (white-collar) criminal but now ‘a person of any class violating law (different from one who commits an immoral or unethical act) in the course of occupational activity’ is described as an occupational offender.

6. The organisation engaged in occupational (or white-collar) crime generally selects that crime which involves high stakes but carries the most negligible danger of detection and identification. Further, it is crime against which the victims are least likely to fight.

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7. The offender (of this offence) does not regard himself as a criminal but considers himself as a respectable citizen. At the most, he regards himself ‘a lawbreaker whose act has no victim’.

8. The organisation engaged in illegal occupational activity adopts a policy of ‘fixing’ cases. It is not only the law-enforcement officers who are ‘fixed up’ but the ‘services’ of politicians, bureaucrats and influential people are also used for ‘protection’.

9. The effect of this crime is much more serious for society than an ordinary crime.