FSU CCJ 3644 - Crimes in Sales-Related Occupations

Unformatted text preview:

Ch 3 Crimes in Sales Related Occupations The Secret World of Shoplifting Video http www youtube com watch v 7seOlegcOis o Approximately 80 of US citizens have shoplifted at least once while 10 are regular shoplifters o Approx 600 000 people are caught shoplifting a year o Shoplifters include poor people who can t afford items thrill seekers kleptomaniacs people who cannot control their need to steal boosters professional shoplifters and people who forget to pay o Management is responsible for more than half of the theft and fraud o Boosters steal items from stores that they can resell for profit Some can steal tens of thousands of dollars worth of products They use booster bags bags lined with aluminum foil which won t send off the alarm like flea markets o Boosted items are sold to fences who then sell them to less than reputable sellers o Technological advancements help deter shoplifters such as booster bag detectors jammer detectors smoke strobe alarms anti theft shelves o Punishments for shoplifting fines counseling jail time one woman had to wear a sign in front of Walmart saying I am a thief GST and White Collar Crime Article o The study attempts to apply the General Strain Theory to white collar crimes o Strain was not significantly related to personal motives to offend although it was a significant predictor of financial motives o Strain had no significant relationship to such low level crimes as embezzlement tax fraud and credit fraud It had some significant relationship to such middle level WCCs as bribery and false claims Most high level WCCs did not have a significant relationship to strain aside from securities violations o Embezzlement and credit fraud strongly supported the GST most likely because of the strain caused by financial issues These two WCCs can result in quick money o The study found that the typical GST relationship between strain negative emotion and offending might not be generalizable to career criminals or offenders of the highest social class o The reason securities violations showed a significant relationship to strain unlike every other high level WCC is due to the high pressure securities violators feel They have the attitude that they must succeed at any cost o Finally comparisons were made across the hierarchical categories of crime and provided no support for the effect of strain in predicting aggregate forms of white collar offending Retail Crime and Service Fraud o Retail businesses like corporations engage in deceptive and illegal activities Illegal pricing Fraudulent advertising Sale of fraudulently represented merchandise Purchase and resale of stolen goods o Caveat emptor let the buyer beware this saying has traditionally regulated the relationship between buyers and sellers o Florida Stats for Shoplifting First offense value is under 300 Misdemeanor charge Up to 1 year in jail Value of theft will determine the severity of the punishment Diversion program upon the first offense guaranteed dismissal 99 9 of the time Employee Crime o Employee theft unauthorized taking control or transfer of money property of the work organization by an employee during the course of employment o Employee theft occurs on a number of different levels Pilfering petty theft Chiseling cheating swindling Fraud misrepresentation Embezzlement destruction fraudulent appropriation of another s money which has been entrusted to one s care o Internal theft by employers is thought to make up over 50 of companies loss o The term shrinkage refers to the theft of goods in the retail industry 36 5 billion lost to shrinkage 15 9 billion to employee theft o Alternative forms of employee crime Not all employee crime against the employer takes the form of theft Employees may commit sabotage o Conceal their own errors o To gain time off o To express their contempt and anger with their work and or employer Theft of ideas designs formulas etc are another form of employee crime o Factors in employee theft Company property basic bulky components and tools Property of uncertain ownership small inexpensive items like pens etc Personal property wallets jewelry etc More likely to be young unmarried males to steal from large corporation to be dissatisfied with company to have good opportunity to steal Those with greater access to things worth stealing are most likely to do so o Deceptive practices Manipulating products Coupon stuffing employees stealing coupons for later use Sweetheart deals employees giving friends family unauthorized discounts Collecting taxes on non taxable items Wage theft Overcharging shortchanging Credits for non existent returns o Fighting Employee Theft Importation strategies import only the best types of employees who are less likely to engage in theft Includes background checks drug tests screenings and more Internal strategies policies and practices performed within retail setting in an effort to prevent employee theft Includes random inspections audits rules that guide returns and so on Technological strategies use of various forms of technology to prevent employee theft in retail setting Includes use of cameras to either deter theft or provide evidence of theft Organizational culture strategies aim to promote a sense of organizational culture that would inhibit theft Employ values of honesty and loyalty and use of anonymous reporting Awareness strategies focus on increasing awareness among employees about various issues related to employee theft Entertainment Services System Crimes o 4 types of crimes committed by restaurants Food tampering Violating health and cleanliness codes False advertising to describe food Short weighting smaller portions than promised o Reasons for theft in food industry Younger workers Low wages and part time shifts Erratic hours o Preventative measures Inspections Inventory control Controlled exits so managers know when workers are leaving Video cameras Locks on goods items Restricted register access o White Collar Crimes in hotel industry Theft of hotel food theft of items owned by the hotel and theft of guests belongings These crimes are truly hard to detect and are only discovered of offender makes blatant mistake Defrauding vulnerable people o David Caplowitz found that the poor were Being overcharged Sold inferior goods People victimized by Deceptive credit practices Complicated contracts Lawsuits threatening wage garnishment o Home Repair Fraud Occurs when contractors and repair persons rip off individuals for various


View Full Document

FSU CCJ 3644 - Crimes in Sales-Related Occupations

Documents in this Course
Notes

Notes

22 pages

Exam 2

Exam 2

4 pages

Exam 1

Exam 1

53 pages

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

97 pages

Exam 3

Exam 3

24 pages

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

42 pages

Load more
Download Crimes in Sales-Related Occupations
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Crimes in Sales-Related Occupations and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Crimes in Sales-Related Occupations 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?