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1 – 10 of over 4000Shivam Fijwala, Marek Palasinski and Neil Shortland
Given that how crimes are perceived by the general public influences their sense of community safety, police priorities and offending behaviour, and in light of little, if any at…
Abstract
Purpose
Given that how crimes are perceived by the general public influences their sense of community safety, police priorities and offending behaviour, and in light of little, if any at all, attention being paid to the determinants of such perception, the purpose of this paper is to examine their predictive value.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 150 English participants with diverse backgrounds (78 males and 72 females – mean age: M=24.3; SD=5.44) completed surveys on their perceived increase in violent, sexual and benefit fraud crimes, taking into account theoretically and empirically underpinned factors, like age, income, number of days unemployed in the last three years, number of years spent in formal education and machiavellianism.
Findings
The multiple regression results suggest that participants with less formal education and less income were more likely to see a rise in violent crime. They also suggest that participants with less formal education and longer history of recent unemployment were more likely to see a rise in sexual crime. It turned out, however, that the recent history of unemployment was not a significant predictor of the perceived rise in benefit fraud – only a high machiavellianism score was.
Research limitations/implications
This quantitative research paints a complex picture that could be complemented by follow-on qualitative studies.
Practical implications
The overarching message from this relatively modest study, therefore, which is part of a much larger and more complex ongoing research project, is to inform the public on crime in approachable and mass data-driven ways rather than leaving this to sensation-driven and selective scenario-focused media.
Social implications
Increasing people's sense of community safety is likely to improve their general well-being, community cohesion and trust in others without necessarily inclining them to take personal risks and falling victim to crime due to ignorance and gullibility. This, in turn, might help guide crime prevention strategies and contribute to the actual reduction in crime levels and safer communities.
Originality/value
Not only does this article offer insight into people's perception of different crimes, addressing an important and neglected research deficit, but is also cautiously proposes the need for more professional education of the public about crime figures.
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This paper aims to discuss the impact of fraud on individuals’ wellbeing by drawing on insights from the academic literature. It also highlights literature gaps and suggests new…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss the impact of fraud on individuals’ wellbeing by drawing on insights from the academic literature. It also highlights literature gaps and suggests new avenues for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a comprehensive literature review to gain insights into the impact of fraud on individuals’ wellbeing and identify literature gaps. The review is not limited to a particular date or a specific discipline.
Findings
The results reveal a general consensus in the literature that fraud severely and negatively impacts individuals’ wellbeing. Fraud’s impact on victims goes beyond financial hardship. It could result in stress, anger, upset, worries, fear of future victimisation, shame, loss of self-esteem, health deterioration, loss of confidence in financial matters, suicide ideation, unemployment, homelessness, less happiness and life satisfaction and broken relationships. However, research on how fraud impacts individuals’ wellbeing is scarce and has yet to receive substantial attention.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first comprehensive literature review compiling evidence on the impact of fraud on individuals’ wellbeing.
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To describe anticipatory risk as a fundamental pillar for a framework of international law in relation to global terrorism.
Abstract
Purpose
To describe anticipatory risk as a fundamental pillar for a framework of international law in relation to global terrorism.
Design/methodology/approach
Economic terrorism and global terrorist transactions are used as a case study to demonstrate asymmetric financial crime and vulnerabilities of financial districts, economies and populations.
Findings
The act of anticipation of risk is quantifiable and imposes a duty to manage foreseeable catastrophic consequences. Such a duty in turn creates a proportionate reaction that can be recognised in law.
Practical implications
Recommendations are made for international discussions by jurists, global agreements through the United Nations and the G8 and for national laws, corporate governance standards and regulatory measures to become a seamless extension of the international framework.
Originality/value
Commercial law, criminal law and the international laws and conventions of war require a framework that defines foreseeability, catastrophic risk, uncertainty, adequacy and proportionality.
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This paper examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and international accounting and auditing bodies in promulgating standards to deter and detect…
Abstract
This paper examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and international accounting and auditing bodies in promulgating standards to deter and detect fraud, domestically and abroad. Specifically, it focuses on the role played by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the US Government Accounting Office (GAO), and other national and foreign professional associations, in promulgating auditing standards and procedures to prevent fraud in financial statements and other white‐collar crimes. It also examines several fraud cases and the impact of management and employee fraud on the various business sectors such as insurance, banking, health care, and manufacturing, as well as the role of management, the boards of directors, the audit committees, auditors, and fraud examiners and their liability in the fraud prevention and investigation.
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This article aims to focus on the impact of the current austerity measures on UK public sector anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resource capacity building initiative…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to focus on the impact of the current austerity measures on UK public sector anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resource capacity building initiative developed over the years to tackle fraud against the public purse.
Design/methodology/approach
The article draws on secondary sources of data and available literature on fraud and financial crime.
Findings
Fraud is a challenge in the UK public sector but the cut-back on anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resources, given the scale of public sector fraud, the growing emphasis on accountability and the time of austerity with public money more exposed to fraud is arguably a back-door/u-turn policy on zero-tolerance approach in tackling public sector fraud and financial crime. There is the potential of this encouraging more fraud and financial crime against the public sector in the long term if measures are not taken to devise strategies for enhancing anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resource capacity.
Research limitations/implications
The research implication for this article is that it opens an avenue for future studies to examine post austerity strategies for strengthening public sector anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resource strategies to deal with emerging fraud threats to UK public sector.
Practical implications
This article acts as a reference guide for policymakers to reflect on the long-term adverse impact of the austerity on anti-fraud and financial crime investigative resource capacity and capability in tackling fraud public sector fraud.
Originality/value
The paper attempts to present an alternative lens to examining the scale of UK public sector fraud problem rather than relying on headline story of declining fraud in UK.
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Individuals with fewer resources often receive more punitive treatment in the justice system than those who are more privileged. This situation is frequently justified with…
Abstract
Purpose
Individuals with fewer resources often receive more punitive treatment in the justice system than those who are more privileged. This situation is frequently justified with reference to societal preferences. To test the accuracy of this justification, the purpose of this study is to report on the extent to which the different treatments of tax evaders and welfare fraudsters in the Australian and New Zealand justice systems reflect the views of these societies.
Design/methodology/approach
Attitudes are captured in a survey with 3,000 respondents in Australia and New Zealand.
Findings
When asked directly, the majority of respondents (58 per cent) perceive no difference in people committing welfare fraud or tax evasion. However, responses to presented scenarios on tax evasion and welfare fraud show different tolerances for each crime. When provided with scenarios including crimes and criminals, results show that survey respondents see tax evasion as a less serious crime. However, when asked about their own propensity to commit the same offence, respondents indicate that they are more likely to engage in welfare fraud than tax evasion. The authors also report on factors that have an impact on individual’s attitudes towards tax evasion and welfare fraud.
Social implications
The survey results do not clearly show more punitive attitudes towards tax evasion or welfare fraud. Thus, the authors do not find support for the suggestion that the harsher treatment of welfare fraud can be justified with reference to society’s views.
Originality/value
The study reports on original survey research.
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The purpose of this paper is to research how local councils in England responded to a national initiative intended to address the risk of the involvement of organised crime in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to research how local councils in England responded to a national initiative intended to address the risk of the involvement of organised crime in local government procurement fraud. In so doing, it considers definitional issues before undertaking original research to explore how councils responded and, through in-depth interviews with three councils, what initial explanations may explain the responses. It concludes that the national initiative was insufficiently thought-through, and that councils’ responses were significantly influenced by the relevance of the threat of organised crime, financial constraints and competing priorities.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study involves a literature review, an analysis of official documentation, a questionnaire to local councils in the north of England and semi-structured interviews with anti-fraud practitioners in three councils in the northeast of England. The approach is to provide an analysis of the implementation of a national initiative to promote a local government response to procurement fraud by organised crime.
Findings
On the basis of original research, the paper proposes that the national initiative was insufficiently thought-through, and that councils’ responses were influenced by the relevance of the threat of organised crime, financial constraints and competing priorities.
Research limitations/implications
The research looks at a national initiative and how local councils responded within the context of financial and other constraints. The research is limited in terms of the range of responses it sought, and that it only studied the experience of three local councils in detail. On the other hand, its findings support further research into the implementation of national initiatives in terms of practice on the ground.
Practical implications
The findings identify issues surrounding the design and implementation of national anti-fraud policies from the perspective of local government and will be of value to practitioners and academics interested in fraud, policing, organised crime, local government and policy making.
Originality/value
The paper is the first study in the UK on the local implementation of national strategies on procurement fraud and organised crime and raises positive and less-positive aspects of how far national strategies and intentions are addressed on the ground, with a focus on what factors may influence local implementation.
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Frank S. Perri and Richard G. Brody
The purpose of this paper is to recognize that organized crime and terrorism do not always operate independently from each other but, at times, rely on each other to create…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to recognize that organized crime and terrorism do not always operate independently from each other but, at times, rely on each other to create synergistic outcomes and use the same tactics and methods to advance their goals such as the use of fraud.
Design/methodology/approach
Sources of information consisted of scholarly articles and articles retrieved from the web.
Findings
Findings suggest that over time the crime‐terror nexus has increased its collaborative nature and terrorists have adopted the use of fraud schemes that were initially believed to be methods used only by organized crime to finance their organizations and goals.
Originality/value
This paper serves as a useful guide to alert and educate anti‐fraud professionals, law enforcement and policy makers of the nexus between organized crime, terrorism and fraud and that fraud should not be viewed as a peripheral issue in the crime‐terror nexus.
The purpose of this paper, which is based on author's PhD study, is to analyze the trends in credit card fraud prevention in the USA, the UK, Australia and Indonesia, particularly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper, which is based on author's PhD study, is to analyze the trends in credit card fraud prevention in the USA, the UK, Australia and Indonesia, particularly over the period 2003‐2007, with special focus on the fraud prevention practices in the payments systems.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses primary and secondary data particularly from the payments systems of the USA, the UK, Australia and Indonesia to conduct historical and benchmarking analyses to highlight the trends in credit card fraud prevention in the four countries.
Findings
The study establishes that a common approach in preventing credit card fraud is reducing offenders' opportunities to commit their offences, which often require significant amount of resources and thus sound strategy needs to be properly formulated and executed. Referring primarily to the practices in the USA, the UK, Australia and Indonesia, resources are mainly allocated to six key areas of fraud prevention: understanding of the real problems, fraud prevention policy, fraud awareness, technology‐based protection, identity management and legal deterrence. These are supported in principle by four main groups in a payments system: user, institution, network and government and industry.
Originality/value
The paper provides insights into the nature of credit card fraud, as well as a framework for designing a sound credit card fraud prevention strategy in a country's payments system.
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