The “Discovery” of White‐Collar Crime: The Legacy of Edwin Sutherland

Summary, in English

This chapter examines the very beginning of the criminology of white-collar and corporate crime by focusing on Edwin Sutherland and his "discovery" of the concept of white-collar crime. Sutherland's contributions to the criminology of white-collar crime, beginning with his 1939 American Sociological Society presidential address and culminating with the publication of his book White Collar Crime, can hardly be exaggerated. He succeeded in putting white-collar crime permanently on the criminological agenda, with the term itself becoming part of common language across jurisdictions. The first part of the chapter discusses the life and career of Sutherland as a prominent twentieth-century criminologist. We then move to analyzing Sutherland's understanding of the concept of white-collar crime, its characteristics, and established criticisms. Finally, we address the inspirational legacy of Edwin Sutherland and how he is more relevant now than ever.