Abstract
M.A.
White-collar crime has had a significant impact on the economy and the quality of life of
all the citizens of this country. The emphasis in addressing this problem has traditionally
been on the limitation of risk to commit white-collar crime as well ason the 'typical'
characteristics of white-collar offenders. The aim of this study was to understand this
phenomenon from a different perspective: the ecosystems that have an influence on the
causation and maintenance of white-collar crime.
To determine which ecosystems played a role the researcher interviewed white-collar
criminals who had already been convicted, and were serving prison sentences in the
Gauteng Province. They were from both sexes, different race groups, different ages and
they had committed different types of white-collar crime.
The following ecosystems and subsystems were identified as contributing to causation
and maintenance of white-collar crime:
the individual: behaviour, emotion and relationships (in general and specific
relationships).
The bank environment
Opportunity, as an element of all the systems, was also identified as a contributing factor.
The researcher also identified two patterns in which the ecosystems interact. Different
white-collar crime processes are indicated through these patterns. The main difference
between these patterns is that some people commit the crime because they consider it to
be the best solution to problem situation whereas other people commit the crime only
because the opportunity to do so, exists. Most of the findings in the interviews can be confirmed by existing literature although
there were some findings for which literature can't indicate a direct relationship.
Recommendations are aimed at addressing the dynamics between the ecosystems as
identified by the respondents. The most important aspect to bear in mind is that people do
not function in isolation and constantly influence each other. We are co-creators of our
reality and can therefore influence our environment by what we contribute to it through
interaction and dialogue.