In his 1939 presidential address to the American Sociological Association, Indiana University sociologist Edwin Sutherland voiced concern over the dearth of research on "crime in the upper, or white-collar, class." The term "white collar crime" has since become an established part of our vocabulary. The growth of the modern corporation, the expansion of professional classes, the advent of computer technologies, and the increasing complexity and interdependence of national and international financial markets have brought about changes in the form of crime with which Sutherland was concerned. In response, the study of white-collar crime has become an important field of research in its own right. Research has been sporadic, however, and there is a need to take stock of the scholarship over the years and begin to map out a strategy for the future. Under this grant, a conference will be convened in May of 1990 at Indiana University to assess the field of reserch on white-collar crime fifty years after Sutherland's 1939 address. The purpose of the conference is to address the theoretical, empirical, and practical issues facing the study and control of white-collar crime. Panelists from around the world will convene for three days to (1) review the research which has taken place over the years; (2) provide new research and information which will be useful to both scholars and practitioners interested in the control of white-collar crime; (3) identify gaps in our present state of knowledge and suggest directions for future research; and (4) develop a network of individuals interested in the study and regulation of white-collar crime so as to facilitate research and public policy efforts in this area. The problem of white-collar crime raises important theoretical issues ranging from organizational theories of deviance to micro- level theories of decisionmaking. Organizational traits such as hierarchical structures, reward structures, operating policies and procedures, and codes of ethics integrated with subcultural, opportunity, labeling, and control theories offer exciting possibilities for accounting for differences in criminogenic organizations and their more law-abiding counterparts. This conference will bring together scholars across different disciplines to discuss new research relating to etiology, enforcement strategies, international perspectives and methodological issues which will provide directions for future research in this important field.
