By The white-collar criminal is very dangerous because of his ability to take advantage of the weaknesses of the system, directly or indirectly harming many others.
The concept of white-collar crime was coined by sociologist Edwin Sutherland in 1939. He defined it as an economic crime committed by a prominent professional against a corporation.
It is not easy to understand why someone in a comfortable position can commit economic crimes that harm many people. If their needs are covered, why do it? It is also difficult to understand the reaction of a large part of society that classifies the act as a simple excess of ambition.
It is important to note that this type of crime has been committed since ancient times in most of the societies that preceded us. As a result of various studies carried out on this subject, it has been established that the profile that characterizes the white-collar criminal corresponds, in most cases, to that of a psychopath.
“ The number of criminals does not authorize the crime .”
-Charles Dickens-
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder or ASPD is a condition present in both sociopathy and psychopathy. What differentiates the sociopath from the psychopath is that the former can feel remorse and establish bonds with close people in an exceptional way. While the psychopath is incapable of feeling guilt and uses others to achieve his ends.
This personality disorder is characterized by a predisposition that persists in antisocial behavior. An example of this is a permanent failure to comply with social and legal norms within the community.
People with this type of disorder lie, deceive, and defraud others for their own benefit or simply for pleasure. This necessarily ends up associated with criminal behavior and constitutes the core of the white-collar criminal.
The profile of the white-collar criminal
The white-collar criminal is usually someone who has an education, or at least knowledge . He enjoys a good reputation, success, refinement and even a charismatic and charming personality. However, it is all a facade that follows a premeditated and calculated plan to achieve his purposes.
These are psychopaths who see people as chess pieces, simple objects that they move at will to achieve their goals.
Psychopaths do not respond to situations in the way most people would. They have an inability to differentiate between right and wrong, meaning they do not understand why lying or cheating is wrong .
The vast majority of researchers agree that psychopathy is the result of an interaction between biological, social and psychological factors. They warn that only the confluence of these three factors can give rise to this condition.
Traits of a psychopath
Among the predominant traits of psychopaths is the establishment of empty, superficial and artificial relationships . They observe others seeking to decipher their behavior in order to imitate the emotions they do not harbor within themselves.
Their inability to love, cry or laugh leads them to fake these kinds of emotions. The only kind of “empathy” they experience is of a utilitarian nature. They do this to camouflage themselves within society and thus go unnoticed.
Although he is perfectly aware of social norms and laws, he only resorts to them when it suits him. The psychopath’s behavior not only sets the pace for his existence, but also seeks to control the lives of others.
In most cases, he appears to be a charming, even charismatic person, but deep down he is a great manipulator . They are quite intelligent and frequently resort to lies to seduce and trap their potential victims.
They also simulate normal lives and are very careful and strategic when assessing the risks of their criminal activities . This makes it quite difficult to unmask them, except when they commit a notable mistake or a violent crime.
The promotion of psychopathy
Unfortunately, in some professional circles, psychopaths enjoy a certain recognition and are admired. Society values the ability of these people to exploit the weaknesses of the system to their advantage .
Aspects such as risky behaviour, the inability to feel remorse, the ability to manipulate and the pursuit of success at all costs are valued positively. Thus, in the short term, the psychopath or white-collar criminal can achieve success in his criminal career.
The nefarious model of “success” implemented in some societies exalts the characteristics of the psychopath. In general, people are not aware of the real consequences of their actions. They only realize their mistake when it is too late and they have become victims of abuse of power . The typical example is dictators.
Permissive legislation
It is worth clarifying that in most countries white-collar criminals receive special treatment for their crimes . The legislation of these states makes a distinction between common criminals and white-collar criminals, placing the latter in a favorable position.
In many cases, the corruption of institutions combined with lax laws means that the perpetrators of these crimes do not pay an exemplary penalty . This is why many experts consider these offenders to be the most dangerous criminals.