White collar crime - Definition and Overview

White-collar crimes (a term coined by Edwin Sutherland in 1939) or Business crimes are those crimes specifically performed by white collar employees. They include fraud and bankruptcy fraud, bribery, insider trading, embezzlement, computer crime and forgery.

It is estimated that a great deal of white collar crime is undetected. Such crimes are often contrasted against violent crimes (such as rape or murder) or blue-collar crime (such as vandalism or shoplifting). The term derives from the characteristic white-collar shirts worn by lawyers, bankers and other professionals associated with such crimes.