ABSTRACT
This chapter explores what criminologists refer to as 'conventional property crimes', such as larceny-theft, burglary, and auto theft, as well as corporate theft. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assembles comprehensive data in its Uniform Crime Reports on larceny-theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft, which it regards as 'major crimes' that are nonviolent. These particular crimes are typically associated with underprivileged offenders. The chapter argues that the root of this differential treatment has more to do with power and social inequality than with the dangers these crimes pose to public. It begins with a brief overview of conventional property crimes, and proceed to a greatly expanded consideration of corporate financial crime on the assumption that the details of these particular offenses tend to be less well known. The chapter explores volume of corporate crime, its costs, and harm it incurs. It presents serious problems associated with both corporate and conventional theft, they are treated remarkably differently within the criminal justice system.
