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“White Collar Crime” Is A Euphemism To Abandon, Anthony J. Meyer
“White Collar Crime” Is A Euphemism To Abandon, Anthony J. Meyer
SLU Law Journal Online
Although the phrase “white collar crime” is ubiquitous among lawyers, it is a euphemism that creates an arbitrary distinction among crimes and perpetuates an upper-class bias for certain types of criminal conduct while simultaneously denigrating others. The phrase further performs a problematic social signaling function, including by expressly invoking “whiteness.” On balance, the phrase should be abandoned and replaced with one that either creates a meaningful distinction or leads to more inclusiveness in the legal practice.