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CHAPTER 14
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What is White-Collar Crime? Not an official category of criminal behavior Covers a broad range of illegal acts including lying, cheating, and stealing Technically defined as financial activities characterized by deceit and concealment that do not involve physical force or violence White-collar criminals usually Have legal access to the place where the crime occurs Are spatially separated from the victim (often unknown) Behave in a manner that is legitimate White-Collar Crime
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Different techniques Deception Abuse of trust Concealment and conspiracy Victims of White-Collar Crimes Often white-collar crime does not target individuals but rather large groups or more abstract concepts such as “society” or “the environment” White-Collar Crime
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Regulating and Policing White-Collar Crime A corporation can be treated as a person capable of forming the intent necessary to commit a crime Corporate violence is a result of policies or actions undertaken by a corporation Parallel regulatory and criminal systems have evolved to prevent corporate violence and other forms of white-collar crimes White-Collar Crime
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The Regulatory Justice System and White-Collar Crime The goal of regulation is not prevention or punishment as much as compliance Law Enforcement and White-Collar Crime Generally, when regulatory agencies find that criminal prosecution is needed to punish a particular violation, they will refer the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice The FBI is usually the lead agency when it comes to white-collar crime White-Collar Crime
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White Collar Crime in the Early 2000s There were two periods of financial scandal in the 2000s 2001 and 2002 Fraudulent accounting practices led to the demise of giant corporations (Enron and Worldcom) End of the decade Collapse of the subprime mortgage market Caused millions of Americans to lose their homes to foreclosure These scandals and economic downturns led to greater regulation and criminalization of white-collar crimes White-Collar Crime
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White collar crime (corporate crime) is different than violent or property crime. Which crime category is depicted more in mainstream media? News Television Movies Music Why do you think this is the case? Discussion Question #1:
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The same anonymity that makes online activity appealing also makes it vulnerable to deception Computer Crime and the Internet Every business relies on computers to conduct its daily affairs 500 million American household devices are now connected to the Internet The Internet has become a place where large numbers of people socially and commercially interact Wrongdoing has an opportunity to flourish Cyber crime is described as criminal activity occurring via a computer in the virtual community of the Internet Cyber Crime
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Computer Crime and the Internet Cyber Advantages The advent of the Internet has made it easier to disseminate child pornography and commit other cyber crimes Reasons include: Speed Security Anonymity The Incidence of Cyber Crime Difficult to determine how much cyber crime actually takes place Cyber Crime
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Cyber Crimes Against Persons and Property Most cyber crimes are not “new” Existing crimes in which the Internet is now the instrument of wrongdoing Types of cyber crimes Cyber consumer fraud Fraud committed over the Internet Cyber Theft Thieves steal data stored in a networked computer with network access from anywhere on the globe Identity Theft Phishing Cyber Aggression and the New Media Cyberstalking Cyber Crime
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Cyber Crimes in the Business World Hackers are people who use one computer to illegally access another Hackers use botnets (robot network) Malware Worms are computer programs that can automatically replicate itself and interfere with the normal use of a computer and does not need to be attached to an existing file to move A virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and interfere with the normal use of a computer and cannot exist as a separate entity The Spread of Spam Businesses and individuals are targets of spam About 970 million messages contain some form of malware Spam is the preferred method of phishing Cyber Crime
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Pirating Intellectual Property Online Intellectual property consists of the products that result from intellectual, creative processes Intellectual property is vulnerable to “piracy” Books Films Music Software Millions of copies can be produced with a click of a mouse, and the copies are just as good as the originals in most cases Cyber Crime
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Fighting Cyber Crime Encryption is the process of encoding information stored in computers in such a way that only authorized parties have access to it Regulating the Internet Private industry needs government help to fight off cyber criminals Many cyber criminals operate in foreign countries, beyond the reach of American authorities Cyber Crime
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Fighting Cyber Crime Challenges for Law Enforcement Difficulty in gathering evidence Cyber Forensics The application of computer technology to find and utilize evidence of cyber crimes Digital evidence is information or data of value to a criminal investigation that are either stored or transmitted by electronic means Cyber Sleuthing Cyber Crime
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Firearms in the United States Gun ownership is widespread in the United States 1/3 of American households possess at least one firearm 310 million guns in the United States (not counting guns on military bases) Most gun owners are law-abiding Illegally obtained firearms are a constant concern for law enforcement Half of Americans favor stricter measures by the government to control gun ownership Gun Control Policy
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Regulating Gun Ownership The language in the Second Amendment is considered archaic and vague The Supreme Court has attempted to clarify the amendment’s modern meaning Recent rulings Second Amendment provides individuals with a constitutional right to bear arms This right must be recognized at all levels of government Federal State Local Gun Control Policy
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Regulating Gun Ownership Background Check Criminals and mentally ill individuals are prohibited from legally purchasing firearms Background checks are conducted by federally licensed gun dealers Investigate the person’s history to determine whether that person should be allowed the ability to possess a firearm The mechanics of background checks are regulated by the Brady Bill (1993) Gun Control Policy
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Regulating Gun Ownership Mental Health Issues Anyone involuntarily committed to a mental institution or adjudicated as mentally defective is also barred from purchasing or possessing a firearm Relies on states to provide the federal government with mental health information Recent Legislative Gun Control Efforts Because of a lack of federal action, individual states are being tasked with passing stricter gun control measures Gun Control Policy
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Despite recent high profile shooting sprees, the federal government has failed to enact greater gun control measures. What are the arguments made by advocates of stronger gun control measures? What are the arguments made by advocates of limited gun control measures? Do you ultimately think that there should be stronger laws increasing restrictions on gun ownership? Discussion Question #2
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Defining Terrorism: Terrorism is the use or threat of violence in furtherance of political objectives Modern terrorism is characterized by extreme levels of violence The Global Context of Terrorism Terror is the realm of nonstate actors An entity that plays a role in international affairs but does not represent any established state or nation Terrorism is a “supercrime” that incorporates many of the characteristics of international warfare The Terror Threat
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The Global Context of Terrorism Al Qaeda and Jihad Grew out of volunteers who migrated to Afghanistan in the 1980s to rid that country of foreign occupiers Was led by Osama bin Laden to be a form of a jihad The struggle against the evil in oneself The struggle against the evil outside oneself The struggle against nonbelievers A Continuing Threat Bin Laden was killed in 2011 Many of the group’s leaders have been killed but it remains a formidable organization Now relies on a loose affiliation of franchises that operate in Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria, and other nations Self-radicalization Have the ability to operate under law enforcement’s radar up until the moment they strike The Terror Threat
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Terrorism Trends For the Future: Terrorists have developed more efficient methods of financing their operations Terrorists have developed more efficient organizations Terrorists have exploited new communication technology to mount global campaigns The Terror Threat
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One noted terrorism trend includes smaller operations involving American-born terrorists influenced by international sources. What strategies would you develop to curtail and limit this identified trend? In addition to the criminal justice system, what other entities should be involved in the efforts to ensure Americans are not influenced by terrorist sources? Discussion Question #3:
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Counterterrorism Strategies The Criminal Justice Model Under the criminal justice model of homeland security terrorism is treated like any other crime Law enforcement, court, corrections systems work together to deter terrorist activity through the threat of arrest and punishment Material Support The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) is one of the most important counterterrorism criminal laws passed Hampers terrorist organizations by cutting off their material support which covers financial support but also logistical support such as expert advice or assistance Terrorism Convictions From 2001 to 2014, federal prosecutors have successfully tried more than 400 defendants on terrorism –related charges in criminal court The Terror Threat
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Counterterrorism Strategies Military Model Parallel response to the terrorist threat Department of Defense designates certain terrorist suspects detained during the course of military operations as enemy combatants Foreign national who has supported foreign terrorist organizations such as al Qaeda that are engaged in hostilities against the military operations of the United States Since the 9-11 attacks about 800 enemy combatants were transferred to Guantanamo Bay As a result of the treatment here, the U.S. has come under international criticism Political Issues Security Issues The Terror Threat
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Counterterrorism Strategies Military Tribunals Held at the naval base and known as military commissions Offer more limited protections than those afforded to defendants in civilian courts Does not have a right to trial by jury Panel of five military commissioners who act as the judge and jury 2/3 must vote for a conviction Tribunal Troubles Convictions occur less often than in civilian court Many delays The Terror Threat
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As discussed earlier, there are problems associated with military tribunals. Relatively few convictions have been obtained Delay of the proceedings How do these problems make the U.S. appear to the international community? Should the U.S. abandon the military model as a counterterrorism strategy and rely solely on the criminal justice model? Explain. Discussion Question #4:
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