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For as black and white as the law claims to be, they sure make crime sound colorful. Perhaps you have heard the terms “blue collar crime” or “white collar crime” before and weren’t sure exactly what they meant. It turns out that there is a whole rainbow of terms that help to clarify what level of crime was committed and who was affected in the process.
Here are the terms you should know:
Blue collar crimes are ones committed as acts of impulse or emotion, rather than being extensively planned and calculated in advance. Examples of common blue collar crimes include theft, drug charges, sexual charges, and physical assault. Blue collar crimes get their name from so-called “blue collar jobs,” referring to working-class individuals who are more commonly involved in impulsive mistake crimes than ones plotted out years in advance.
If you’re facing allegations for a blue-collar crime, securing an aggressive legal defense is critical. Our team handles a wide range of charges, including:
These cases often hinge on witness testimony, forensic evidence, and intent. We fight to challenge weak evidence, protect your rights, and pursue dismissals or reduced penalties. Contact us immediately for a free case review in Miami.
Pink-collar crimes involve embezzlement, usually from within a company or corporation. Pink-collar crimes tend to affect mid-sized businesses and are usually committed by a mid-level employee of the same company. Pink collar crimes got their name from the stereotype that they are often committed by female employees in managerial and accounting positions. Of course, male employees also commit these types of crimes as well. Although they receive less media attention, pink collar crimes have risen more than forty percent in the last thirty years.
White collar crimes involve financial theft and are typically non-violent in nature. They get their name from so-called “white collar jobs,” usually held by high-ranking business and government employees. Examples of common white collar crimes include money laundering, fraud, bribery, and false marketing. While not physically violent, white collar crimes can have grave financial and security-based consequences for everyone involved.
Green collar crimes are white collar crimes where the environment is significantly harmed in pursuit of illicit financial gain. The first green collar crime was prosecuted in 2013 and resulted in a criminal conviction. Since then, they have become sadly more common. Any white collar crime that primarily involves exploiting nature to accomplish it is considered a green-collar crime.
Red collar crime is a high-level financial crime that involves physical violence. Like white collar crime, it often happens in the financial or government worlds, but involves violence like a blue collar crime. Red collar crime occurs when an elaborate crime is covered up through murder or serious physical injury. Red collar crime is often committed by white collar employees with a history or tendency towards violence.
Blue collar crimes are rarely premeditated and are usually frenzied, emotional reactions that may result in the taking of a person’s property, the use of drugs, the assault, or the abuse of the family. Such crimes swell mightily on impulse without elaborate planning. White-collar crimes are characterized as planned, non-violent financial crimes like fraud, bribery, money laundering, and misleading marketing. The perpetrators of these crimes are usually corporate or government officials of high rank, and the damage caused can be severe financially, even if there is no violence.
Pink-collar crimes are illegal company activities, such as embezzlement, that are committed by mid-level employees against their own employers. These crimes usually focus on the mid-size business sector, and the perpetrators of the crimes are generally in management or accounting. Although these crimes receive the least media coverage, they have increased by more than 40% in the last 30 years, and this rise has made them a problem that is not only significant but also concerning for companies.
Green collar crimes are those white collar financial crimes that have a major adverse effect on the environment, along with the crime. Any highly complicated financial scheme that at its core exploits and/or damages the environment for the sake of illegal profits fits into this group. The very first case of green collar crime prosecution happened back in 2013, and these cases have been spreading ever since as the natural resource exploitation for the sake of easy money continues unchecked.
Red collar crimes merge the scheming of white collar financial crimes with the brutality of blue collar offenses. It typically involves the killing or maiming of someone to cover up a complicated crime. They are the work of white collar professionals who may have a history of violence and, thus, are the most treacherous as they exploit both their mastery of finance and their readiness to cause death.
These color-coded terms help different groups, such as police officers, lawyers, or the general public, recognize distinct crime categories by examining who the offender is, the methods used, and the typical impacts. These classes facilitate discussions about crime patterns, inform the development of effective legal strategies, and help understand the diverse motivations of criminals, although they serve as descriptive tools rather than official legal definitions.
No matter what the term or color applies to the crime you’ve been accused of, the Law Offices of Barry M. Wax is not here to judge you. We are here to help you. For assistance with any criminal defense matters, contact Barry M. Wax, Attorney at Law, today! When your freedom, livelihood, and financial future are on the line, we have the proven experience to represent you.
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