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Abstract

Although white-collar crime has been discussed for decades, it is under-researched by mainstream criminology and under-reported by the media. Many criminological theories fail to explain white-collar crime, whereas street crime receives more attention from both mainstream criminology and the media. This indicates that social class influences crime and should be considered. This dissertation aims to explore public perceptions of crime and social class. To achieve this research aim, three research objectives were set - to discuss current literature regarding crime and social class, to survey public perceptions of crime and social class, and to compare the findings of the literature review and the primary research. An online survey was created to gather public perceptions of crime and social class and received 122 responses, with the results being analysed through a content analysis. Many findings about social class, policing, fear of crime, the media, and perceived criminal motivations are discussed and compared with the existing literature surrounding these topics. The analysis showed that white-collar crime was not part of the public construction of crime. Many respondents feared street crimes and crimes against the person and felt that these crimes should be prioritised by the police. This dissertation suggests that public apathy towards white-collar crime could be associated with its media portrayals and this apathy could explain the lack of focus on white-collar crime. This dissertation calls for more research regarding crime, social class and white-collar crime.

Course: Criminology and Forensic Studies - BSc (Hons) - C2039F

Date Deposited: 2024-11-20

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14542.html