Three-Minute Legal Talks: All About White-Collar Crime

Often misperceived as victimless offences, white-collar crimes can ruin the financial standings of unsuspecting investors and upend the public’s trust in legitimate business operations. Coined by sociologist Edwin Sutherland in 1939, the term refers to the occupational status of its most common offenders, and encompasses a wide range of illegal acts, including money laundering, fraud and bribery. Most white-collar crimes tend to be non-violent in nature and can be difficult to detect, especially for long periods of time. These misdeeds, however, can cause long-lasting ripple effects in the economy, and have brought about some of the most sweeping legislation pertaining to the financial industry. In three minutes, Jeannine Lemker, director of UW Law’s Entrepreneurial Law Clinic, explains what white collar crime is, the motivations behind it, and what harms it can cause.