White-collar crime

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 514.

Victimless crimes

Many societies have outlawed actions on the basis of religion or morality. Sumptuary laws (законы, регулирующие потребление предметов роскоши), for instance, are regulations that restrict extravagance in dress, food, drink, and household equipment. And acts such as the practice of adultery and homosexuality have frequently been deemed crimes. Gambling, too, is outlawed in many places. Even drug abuse the use of banned or controlled substances has sometimes been called a victimless crime because it, like gambling, involves no attack upon either persons or property.

The term victimless crimes, however, is somewhat inaccurate. Gambling and drug abuse, like alcoholism, are now considered addictions (пагубная привычка). The person involved victimizes himself as well as his family and friends by his uncontrolled habit. Overcoming these addictions usually requires some type of therapy.

White-collar crime refers to violations of law by persons who use their jobs to engage in illegal activities. Embezzlement is a typical white-collar crime.

Such violations usually involve fraud, swindle, tax cheating, and other duplicity in financial dealings.

The amount of white-collar crime has grown in advanced nations to the extent that it is one of the costliest crimes in society. Billions of dollars a year are misappropriated through various kinds of swindles far more than in the more conventional crimes of larceny, burglary, forgery, auto theft, and robbery.