ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a general theoretical model and a clarified terminology by which profit-driven crimes can be understood in economic rather than in sociological terms. It proposes a typology that shifts the focus from actors to actions in a way that differs from, though is compatible with, the 'scripts ' and situational crime approaches. The chapter focuses on the 'what' by drawing out the essential characteristics of the three major forms of profit-driven crime. The process of understanding profit-driven crimes has long been impeded by the fact that most traditional paradigms are designed to elucidate the 'who' and the 'why', rather than the 'what' and the 'how'. However other forms of profit-driven crimes are quite different in terms of their inherent nature, and their economic impact. The major types of profit-driven crimes also differ according to their fiscal implications.
