About the book
Criminal law norms are socially derived, being constructed in political processes, but only recently has criminological research began to focus on the political construction of criminal law. There has been increasing interest in the quality of these political processes, the decisions that result, and the rationales and social forces guiding these decisions.
In Constructing White-Collar Crime, Joachim J. Savelsberg, a sociologist, and Peter Brühl, a lawyer, have provided an interdisciplinary case study of the construction of new German laws against white-collar crime, relating their results to internationally comparative findings. The analysis is empirical; it is theoretically grounded in a sociological approach that contrasts Marxist versus pluralist or differentiation theory, and functionalist versus conflict group or action theory. The authors also analyze their findings in relation to Max Weber's theory of rationalization of law. In addition the research is methodologically innovative, introducing the technique of cognitive mapping into the study of criminal justice legislation. The book represents the authors' attempts to bridge the gap between microsociological and macrosociological approaches to the construction of criminal law.
The authors analyze action rationales, communication patterns, and power structures as they play out in different stages of the law-making process: claims-making in news media; participation of scholars and practitioners in an expert commission and in parliamentary hearings; involvement of industrial lobbying groups during the drafting of the bill in the Department of Justice; and parliamentary deliberations. The analysis demonstrates the considerable weight of economic and political rationales as opposed to justice criteria in the development of criminal legislation. It also indicates that white-collar crime legislation may have counterproductive consequences. The laws are intended to increase the quality of criminal justice by criminalizing the behavior of the powerful, but the less powerful groups within the white-collar classes are more likely to feel the effects.
Constructing White-Collar Crime will be of interest to students and scholars in the areas of sociology, law, and criminology.
Editions of Constructing White-Collar Crime
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780812232400
- PDF
- ISBN 9781512806755
Read an Excerpt
Criminal law norms are socially derived, being constructed in political processes, but only recently has criminological research began to focus on the political construction of criminal law. There has been increasing interest in the quality of these political processes, the decisions that result, and the rationales and social forces guiding these decisions.
In Constructing White-Collar Crime, Joachim J. Savelsberg, a sociologist, and Peter Brühl, a lawyer, have provided an interdisciplinary case study of the construction of new German laws against white-collar crime, relating their results to internationally comparative findings. The analysis is empirical; it is theoretically grounded in a sociological approach that contrasts Marxist versus pluralist or differentiation theory, and functionalist versus conflict group or action theory. The authors also analyze their findings in relation to Max Weber's theory of rationalization of law. In addition the research is methodologically innovative, introducing the technique of cognitive mapping into the study of criminal justice legislation. The book represents the authors' attempts to bridge the gap between microsociological and macrosociological approaches to the construction of criminal law.
The authors analyze action rationales, communication patterns, and power structures as they play out in different stages of the law-making process: claims-making in news media; participation of scholars and practitioners in an expert commission and in parliamentary hearings; involvement of industrial lobbying groups during the drafting of the bill in the Department of Justice; and parliamentary deliberations. The analysis demonstrates the considerable weight of economic and political rationales as opposed to justice criteria in the development of criminal legislation. It also indicates that white-collar crime legislation may have counterproductive consequences. The laws are intended to increase the quality of criminal justice by criminalizing the behavior of the powerful, but the less powerful groups within the white-collar classes are more likely to feel the effects.
Constructing White-Collar Crime will be of interest to students and scholars in the areas of sociology, law, and criminology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Constructing White-Collar Crime about?
Criminal law norms are socially derived, being constructed in political processes, but only recently has criminological research began to focus on the political construction of criminal law. There has been increasing interest in the quality of these political processes, the decisions that result, and the rationales and social forces guiding these decisions.
In Constructing White-Collar Crime, Joachim J. Savelsberg, a sociologist, and Peter Brühl, a lawyer, have provided an interdisciplinary case study of the construction of new German laws against white-collar crime, relating their results to internationally comparative findings. The analysis is empirical; it is theoretically grounded in a sociological approach that contrasts Marxist versus pluralist or differentiation theory, and functionalist versus conflict group or action theory. The authors also analyze their findings in relation to Max Weber's theory of rationalization of law. In addition the research is methodologically innovative, introducing the technique of cognitive mapping into the study of criminal justice legislation. The book represents the authors' attempts to bridge the gap between microsociological and macrosociological approaches to the construction of criminal law.
The authors analyze action rationales, communication patterns, and power structures as they play out in different stages of the law-making process: claims-making in news media; participation of scholars and practitioners in an expert commission and in parliamentary hearings; involvement of industrial lobbying groups during the drafting of the bill in the Department of Justice; and parliamentary deliberations. The analysis demonstrates the considerable weight of economic and political rationales as opposed to justice criteria in the development of criminal legislation. It also indicates that white-collar crime legislation may have counterproductive consequences. The laws are intended to increase the quality of criminal justice by criminalizing the behavior of the powerful, but the less powerful groups within the white-collar classes are more likely to feel the effects.
Constructing White-Collar Crime will be of interest to students and scholars in the areas of sociology, law, and criminology.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Constructing White-Collar Crime?
Society and Social Sciences > Social services and welfare, criminology > Crime and criminology
Where can I read a sample of Constructing White-Collar Crime?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780812232400
How long is Constructing White-Collar Crime and how many pages does it have?
Constructing White-Collar Crime has 200 page(s)
Is Constructing White-Collar Crime part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Anniversary Collection
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Constructing White-Collar Crime?
Joachim J. Savelsberg, Peter Bruhl, Peter Brühl
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Constructing White-Collar Crime is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780812232400) and pdf(ISBN 9781512806755)
Where can I buy Constructing White-Collar Crime online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Constructing White-Collar Crime from below
Where can I buy Constructing White-Collar Crime?