SCHOLAR: CRIMINOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON CORPORATE CRIME

Fierra foods is a corporation with a history of employment deaths.  Since they are a corporation, it is important to look at it from the lens of Criminology.  Although the discipline is new to corporate law, we concurred that Fierra food’s ultimate purpose is profit.  In this, they exploit their workers for the surplus value, which they, “steal.”. The application of mainstream criminology to corporate crime is very recent but we can apply such concepts as strain theory, social bonds and social ecology to this type of crime.  In strain theory, corporations could be considered the innovator.  The innovator is known to have the means and goals to commit crime.  In the social bond theory CEO’s of corporations are said to create relationships which facilitate crime.  Lastly, in ecology theory, white collar  or corporate crimes occur in the business districts.  Corporate crime is the only type of crime where the accused could negotiate and write its own rectification.  When compared to street crime, corporate crime penalties are minimal.  Corporate crime causes far more damage than does street crime.  Often these corporate criminals ascertain the support of the government. 

              Corporate crime must first be distinguished from occupational crime.  Corporate crime can be defined as a crime committed in the economic interest of a corporation.  Occupational crime can therefore be said to be crime committed by a person within the course of employment.  Corporate crime has a distinct feature which interests criminals to criminal behaviour and that is the concept of distance.  This means that there is low visibility or no personal contact in order for crime to occur.  According to modern criminology we can further apply the concepts of the theory of differential association, theory of anatomy, subculture, control and social development amongst those we already looked at.  In the differential theory people associate with others to validate a behavior as positive.  Perhaps those running the corporation believe that what they are doing is good. In anatomy theory, a state of lawlessness rises due to moral and social changes.  This the connects with previously mentioned strain theory wherein grounds are bread for crime such as innovation.  When discussing corporate crime this could account for innovation, wherein corporations seek more profit.  The subculture theory, specifies that delinquent groups develop their own values and justify their actions.  Maybe corporations have justified their goal of profit.  For example they can justify that having a lawsuit is more affordable than refining full operations.  Control theories validate that corporate offenders have too much to loose and therefore, are more likely to commit crime.  These individuals thus have low risk opportunities to commit crime.  And lastly, social development theories specifies that the higher degree of mobility has caused people to be more in contact.  Thus, more business equals more crime.  We can therefore see the true causes of crime based on this analysis.  In this we can collectively provide rectifications in our society such as changing the business culture or amendments to our legal system.