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The Consequences of Knowledge about Elite Deviance

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Abstract

The present study sought to understand the consequences of knowledge about elite deviance. Four hundred and eight participants completed an online questionnaire that measured (1) their level of knowledge about white-collar crime and (2) their perceived seriousness of, and punitiveness toward, it. Results of statistical analyses suggest a positive relationship between knowledge and punitive sentiments toward crimes of the powerful. Conversely, less knowledgeable subjects, comprised disproportionately of men, politically Conservatives, Republicans, and conservative Protestants were often more lenient toward elite offenders, both in terms of perceived seriousness of the offenses and punitiveness toward them, when compared with street crime. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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Notes

  1. To date, studies on social response to white-collar crime have mainly focused on attitudes (e.g., Rebovich et al. 2000; Kane and Wall 2006; Huff et al. 2010.)

  2. We use the terms “white-collar crime” and “elite deviance” (Simon 1999) interchangeably to describe illegal and/or deviant activities committed by powerful individuals or entities.

  3. We differentiate knowledge about elite deviance from “truth” acceptance due to the possibility of subjects scoring high on a knowledge survey due to chance alone – “lucky guessing”.

  4. We included more sociodemographic characteristics in preliminary analyses (i.e., age, income, employment status, region where respondents grew up, current residence, etc.), but no consistent patterns emerged.

  5. We are aware that using a test bank designed for an already informed college audience might not work well with the general public. Consequently, only those items that tapped basic dimensions of elite deviance were selected. Conversely, questions that asked for very precise information (e.g., figures) were dropped.

  6. We anticipate cynical comments as to the collusion of government and corporations, and about the perspective of politicians taking on powerful entities being a mere utopia. We favor a more optimistic direction and envisage the possibility of change in the future.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Tampa, 401, W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33606-1490, USA

    Cedric Michel

  2. Department of Criminology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., SOC 107, Tampa, FL, 33620-8100, USA

    Kathleen M. Heide & John K. Cochran

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  1. Cedric Michel
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  2. Kathleen M. Heide
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  3. John K. Cochran
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Correspondence to Cedric Michel.

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Table 7 Knowledge questionnaire
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Michel, C., Heide, K.M. & Cochran, J.K. The Consequences of Knowledge about Elite Deviance. Am J Crim Just 41, 359–382 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-014-9285-z

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