Larceny by servant the most prevalent white-collar crime in Jamaica, study finds

 

Larceny by servant is the most prevalent white-collar crime committed in Jamaica.

 

This is according to the findings of a soon to be released study on white-collar crime.

 

The research analysed police reports on this type of crime and other statistical data over the period 2015 to 2022.

 

Larceny by servant occurs when workers steal from their employers.

 

The offence accounts for more than half of cases reported over the 2015-2022 period.

 

The other two prevalent white-collar crimes are embezzlement and larceny by trick.

 

One of the researchers in the study, Data Analyst and Director of Research at Northern Caribbean University Paul Bourne, explained that larceny by servant is more common among women, especially in the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Clarendon and Manchester. 

 

"It should not come as surprise to you when you look at the data to realise that larceny by servant is even higher in Manchester than many other places, because many of the ladies in Manchester are actually outside working versus some of the other parishes where many of the ladies are unemployed or some of the ladies are at home," he suggested. 

 

St. Elizabeth, Manchester, and Clarendon are also noted as the parishes recording the highest instances of white-collar crimes.

 

Increase in female perpetrators 

 

The research also shows that although more than half of the white-collar crimes in Jamaica in the last eight years have been committed by men, there has been an increase in the number of female perpetrators over the same period.

 

Mr. Bourne told Radio Jamaica News that the increasing prevalence among women could be related to a rise in the number of female-led single parent households. 

 

About 50 per cent of Jamaican families are run by a single parent, he pointed out, adding that the majority are led by women. 

 

Because these women are left with the sole responsibility of supporting their children and families, their need for cash resources increases.  

 

Mr. Bourne said the financial inequality that exists in the country also influences the occurrence of white-collar crime. 

 

Citing a 1988 Derek Gordon study on inequality, he said the poor "get little or nothing" while the rich keep about 80 per cent of the economic resources. 

 

With most of the single mothers being part of the 20 per cent of poor people, Mr. Bourne argued that "anytime they get the responsibility of working in an environment where the resources are there, they're going to embezzle it because they need to help their children".