Abstract
While most of this book focuses upon antisocial behavior, disorder, and crime (“street crimes”), this chapter explores the crimes of the powerful, such as frauds, hustles, and scams, or what is called “crimes in the suites.” Although street crimes capture the public’s attention, we do not spend much time thinking about corporate crimes occurring in the oil and gas or mining industries. As these crimes are out of sight, they are also out of mind. This chapter describes three types of white-collar offenses associated with the oil and gas and mining industries: (a) financial crimes such as fraud and embezzlement, (b) violations of laws and regulations intended to ensure worker safety, and (c) environmental crimes, such as illegal dumping of toxic waste. An analysis of these offenses shows that prosecutions for these acts are rare, and few of these offenders are harshly punished.
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Ruddell, R. (2017). Crimes of the Powerful. In: Oil, Gas, and Crime. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58714-5_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58714-5_5
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