Street Crime V. White Collar Crime

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crimes. These differences are one of a collection of reasons causing the detriment of computer crime to be greater than that of robberies.
Offenders in computer crimes are usually employees of a large business or corporation where they pilfer funds for their own financial gain, or for the financial loss of the company. In a Capital Hill Hearing, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. stated that “...white collar crimes are often committed by people of above average intellectual ability and education who stand in legitimate roles in society and have the capacity to use deception and stealth to carry out their plan with remarkable effectiveness” (2002). Most criminals involved in computer crimes and other white-collar acts are not in need of their desired outcomes. In fact, as John Gallo states, “White collar offenders are usually motivated by profit, and are usually rational, informed actors who will assess the risks versus the benefits of engaging in criminal conduct” (1998). The characteristics of offenders differs depending on the type of crime that is being committed.
Street crimes are often thought of as violent crimes, such as bank robbery. Bank robbery is using force or threat of force to steal money in the setting of a bank. Robbery, as defined by the Bureau of Justice Statistics is “The completed or attempted theft, directly from a person, of property, or cash by force or threat of force, with or without a weapon, and with or without injury” (2002). (repeated from first paragraph) Offenders committing bank robbery are bolder than those who commit computer crimes because robbery is more personal. Often those who commit violent “street crimes” like bank robberies are doing so out of need rather than greed. Where computer criminals are often more financially secure than other criminals, robbers are often in a position of being in need of money and do not have other easier and quicker alternatives. When cert...