CRIMINAL JUSTICE

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Crime is a part of every society. Crime has been a part of civilization since the beginning of civilization itself, and will always be around. This is because many people believe that getting ahead is the most important thing, and by any means necessary they will do what it takes to be comfortable in their lives. Crime is a word that classifies a vast array of wrongdoings; they can be towards an industry, an individual, or can even be victimless. While we are continuously bombarded with crime throughout our days via the newspapers, television reports, or even personal experiences, the crimes that are most talked about are usually those that occur less frequently. White collar crimes, however, often times affect a larger number of people, over a longer period of time, yet are less investigated and less severely punished than its counterparts.

English: FBI Mobile Command Center in Washington D...

English: Standing on Pennsylvania Avenue NW and lo...

English: J. Edgar Hoover

White collar crime is defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" (Conklin, 2009).

While researching the Federal Bureau of Investigation's website, I found that one kind of white collar crime is becoming more and more common. Mortgage fraud is a type of white collar crime that is hitting the states ramped, but is hitting especially hard in the Midwest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation describes a type of scheme called the "illegal property flipping scheme" (Criminal, 2006). The professional positions most likely to be involved in this scheme are mortgage brokers, lenders, and accountants. This scheme involves a buyer purchasing a house for a low amount and then finding an appraiser to falsify the information and supply the owner with a false, inflated appraisal. When this happens, the owner...