M.A. / White-collar crime has had a significant impact on the economy and the quality of life of all the citizens of this country. The emphasis in addressing this problem has traditionally been on the limitation of risk to commit white-collar crime as well ason the 'typical' characteristics of white-collar offenders. The aim of this study was to understand this phenomenon from a different perspective: the ecosystems that have an influence on the causation and maintenance of white-collar crime. To determine which ecosystems played a role the researcher interviewed white-collar criminals who had already been convicted, and were serving prison sentences in the Gauteng Province. They were from both sexes, different race groups, different ages and they had committed different types of white-collar crime. The following ecosystems and subsystems were identified as contributing to causation and maintenance of white-collar crime: the individual: behaviour, emotion and relationships (in general and specific relationships). The bank environment Opportunity, as an element of all the systems, was also identified as a contributing factor. The researcher also identified two patterns in which the ecosystems interact. Different white-collar crime processes are indicated through these patterns. The main difference between these patterns is that some people commit the crime because they consider it to be the best solution to problem situation whereas other people commit the crime only because the opportunity to do so, exists. Most of the findings in the interviews can be confirmed by existing literature although there were some findings for which literature can't indicate a direct relationship. Recommendations are aimed at addressing the dynamics between the ecosystems as identified by the respondents. The most important aspect to bear in mind is that people do not function in isolation and constantly influence each other. We are co-creators of our reality and can therefore influence our environment by what we contribute to it through interaction and dialogue.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:3615 |
| Date | 05 September 2012 |
| Creators | Van Zyl, Magdalena |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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