Victims of Organizational Crime - Essay Example

Organizational crime is examined and prosecuted by the federal and state administrations. For most individuals, organizational crime is not observed as a crime at all, for the reason of its non-violent nature. Violent crime has an instant and apparent effect on its victims that raises the consideration of the public, whereas organizational crime repeatedly goes unnoticed or is observed as a bending of the rules. Organizational crime; on the other hand, can have more of an impact than violent crimes.

The victim of a violent crime can recuperate, where as the victim of organizational crime can have immeasurable impact that can destroy one's home, family, and even life. The genuine problem behind organizational crime is not defining organizational crime, but developing the suitable means to correct this type of crime. Organizational crimes offenders are much more likely to be employed steadily than conventional criminals and are slightly less likely to be unemployed than the general public.

Organizational crimes offenders are better educated than either conventional criminals or the general public. Organizational crimes offenders are more likely to be male and white than conventional offenders. Organizational crimes offenders are generally older than either conventional criminals or the general public. Organizational crimes offenders are much better off financially than conventional criminals, but not as well off as the general public. Organizational crimes offenders are more likely to have a prior arrest than the general public, but less likely than conventional criminals.

A victim of organizational crime should gather and save all documentation that directly relates to the losses. If an arrest is made and a conviction is attained, the judge will think requiring the offender to pay victim for restitution. Victims of organizational crimes experience varying level of emotional trauma. A victim of organizational crime may feel some or all of the following: 1) Annoyance, antipathy, and a sense of infidelity toward the criminal for taking advantage of one. 2) Aggravation with criminal justice experts. 3) Disgrace, humiliation, and guilt if one feels one contributed to one's victimization.

(Weisburd, et. al. 2001) Some victims find it helpful to seek the services of a counseling professional, clergy member, or advocacy organization. Contact your victim/witness coordinator if you need help in locating such services. A number of states, including Washington, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Florida, and Oklahoma, have enacted Victims' Bills of Rights. These states have provided victims of crimes the right to be informed of state victim compensation programs, to be treated with dignity and compassion, to be provided with counseling and other forms of assistance by agencies established specifically to serve crime victims and to have certain procedural rights in the prosecution of the crime in which they were victimized, including the right to be notified of important developments in the case and to be heard on such questions as sentencing and parole.

Although judges have long had the power to order organizational crime offenders to pay restitution to their victims, for a variety of