The Premium Debate: Subscribers weigh in on shining a brighter light on white-collar criminals

The biggest criminals tend to get the least publicity, according to University of Canterbury sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert. Photo / Doug Sherring

OPINION

Dr Jarrod Gilbert wrote: The biggest criminals tend to get the least publicity, and their crimes are often not considered as serious as some others which dominate our thinking. A month or so ago, I talked about how family violence was a bigger problem than the gangs, and here's another: white-collar crime. And right about there, I've probably lost most readers. But if you've stuck with me, here's why I think so. As an undergraduate student, I recall being told that for every $1 stolen by blue-collar criminals, $40 was stolen by those with white collars. It struck me then, and ought to strike us all, as startling.

Read the full story here: Jarrod Gilbert: Why we need to shine a brighter light on white-collar criminals

Have your say by going to bayofplentytimes.co.nz or rotoruadailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

People do care about white-collar crime and are just as frustrated at the weak sentences and slow reparation payments ordered as for all other crime types. The difference between these crimes is that the public doesn't feel unsafe around a fraudster, but they will feel unsafe around patched gang members, teenagers driving cars through their store, meth heads etc.
- Matt C

White-collar criminals just do not strike mortal fear into the lives of ordinary law-abiding citizens. Nor do their crimes make a blind bit of difference to John and Jill Average. Patched gangsters on Harleys - now that's another matter.
- Vicki K

White-collar criminals have a devastating impact on their victims, but they don't tend to run around your neighbourhood in convoys, beating people in the road or spraying bullets around. One is an attack on individuals or an organisation, the other is an attack on society itself. Both should be prosecuted - it's not an either-or situation.
- Anna S

While gang and youth crime need to be tackled (immediately) to be fair white-collar criminals should not be allowed to prosper either. Perhaps the best deterrent for white-collar criminals is to throw them in the same prisons as the gangs. No more country club weekend prisons or electronic ankle bracelets while they do their sentence at home sipping cocktails.
- Mark W

Last week in the NZ Herald: A convicted fraudster who stole up to $1.4 million from an Auckland rest home is fighting to keep his name secret so he can retain his land development job dealing with financiers on projects worth $600m. There's a big problem, right there. Our judges now give name suppression far too easily. Let alone the discharges instead of convictions, multiple discounts and converting prison to home detention. We need a government to tighten all these up.
- Stephen H

Thank you, Jarrod, for highlighting this issue. I agree with you 100 per cent. It's especially hard on older people who lose their life savings to these charlatans. They deserve much longer sentences.
- Laura S

The other reason white-collar criminals are treated more leniently is that their crimes generally don't involve violence or damage to property.
- John M

Jarrod, you make a number of good points, but at the end of the day, criminals are criminals, white collar or violent thugs, and drug dealers. Trying to differentiate between the two is pointless, they all peddle misery and pain, and all deserve a harder line to be taken with them.
- Gavin L

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.

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