Paul Leightonpaulsjusticepage.com/library/No-Criminology-of-Wage-Theft_2016.pdfDr. Paul Leighton is...

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PaulLeightonEasternMichiganUniversityPresentedattheAmerican

SocietyofCriminology,2016

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Outline1.  UnderstandingwagetheD

[wageandhourviolaFons]

2.  ThereisnocriminologyofwagetheD

3.  Whythereisn’t/shouldbeacriminologyofwagetheD

4.  Conclusion/calltoacFon PhotobyHeatherMooney

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UnderstandingwagetheD•  FairLaborStandardsActof1938,29U.S.C.201,etseq

•  Congressfinds“theexistence…oflaborcondiFonsdetrimentaltothemaintenanceoftheminimumstandardoflivingnecessaryforhealth,efficiency,andgeneralwell-beingofworkers•  Minimumwage•  40hourworkweekw/overFmeat1.5Xregularpay•  DeptofLaborWageandHourDivision

•  Stateandlocalslawsmaygofurther•  Canrequirehigherthanminimum–evena‘living’–wage•  SpecificaFonforpayperiods,dataonpaycheck,deducFons•  StateWageandHouragencies

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UnderstandingwagetheD•  FairLaborStandardsActof1938:PenalFes

•  6monthsinprisonforsecondconvicFonundertheAct(29USC216a) And

•  CivilacFonforwagesdue+100%penalty(§216b)

•  Somestatelawsalsospecifyimprisonment

•  InherentinwagetheDisfraudwithpayrolltaxes,punishablebyupto5yearsinprison26USC7202

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UnderstandingwagetheD•  Types•  Notpayingforallhoursworked–falsifyFmecard•  NooverFme•  Failtopayminimumwage(esppieceworkorwithFps)•  Changingpaidbreaksintounpaid,workingthroughbreaks•  RequiringemployeestoworkbeforeoraDershiD•  ViolaFonsof‘donninganddoffing’[clothes,protecFvegear]•  ImproperclassificaFonofemployeeasindependentcontractor•  InternshipswithnoeducaFonalcomponent(takesplaceofaddiFonalsalariedemployee)•  NotpayingreFrementcontribuFons,benefitsorpayrolltaxes

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UnderstandingwagetheD•  2009studyoflowwageindustriesinthreemajorciFesfoundwagetheDtotaled$3billion

•  $50billionlossupdatesandextrapolatestotherestofthelowwageworkforce[EconomicPolicyInsFtute2014]•  2012–almost$1billioninactual,knownrecoveredwages

•  FBI:lossesfromallpropertycrimein2012=$15.5billion

•  $50billionunderesFmatebecausewagetheDhappenstomiddleandupperincomeemployees

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NocriminologyofwagetheD

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NocriminologyofwagetheD• NomajorcriminologyjournalhaspublishedanarFcleprimarilyaboutwagetheDinmorethan20years.

•  Criminology,Jus0ceQuarterly,JournalofResearchinCrimeandDelinquency,LawandSocietyReview,JournalofCriminalLawandCriminology,CrimeandDelinquency,CriminologyandPublicPolicy,Theore0calCriminology,CriminalJus0ceandBehavior,SocialJus0ce,Crime,Law,andSocialChange,TheJournalofCriminalJus0ce

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Whythereisn’t/shouldbeacriminologyofwagetheD

• WagetheDisacrimeofthepowerful

•  “…themostimportantthingsdoneforgoodorill…[are]donebycorporateratherthanindividualactors.”

• Wecannotproceed“asifSutherlandnevergavehis1939PresidenFaladdresstotheAmericanSociologicalSocietythatbrought‘whitecollarcrime’intotheEnglishlanguage.”

•  Braithwaite,2003.What’swrongwiththesociologyofpunishment?Theore0calCrim,7(1):5-28.

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Whythereisn’t/shouldbeacriminologyofwagetheD

• WagetheDisaboutregulaFon

•  Thesocialcontrolof(naturalandcorporate)personsrequiresanunderstandingofhowcriminallawmixeswithcivillawandregulaFonstocreatesocialcontrol.

•  “…todayweliveinaworldwherecriminalacFonisincreasinglyembeddedinorganizaFonalacFon.”

•  Braithwaite,2003.What’swrongwiththesociologyofpunishment?Theore0calCrim,7(1):5-28.

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Whythereisn’t/shouldbeacriminologyofwagetheD

• Criminologyprogramsclaimtheywanttopreparestudentsforthejobmarket…justnottheexploitaFonintheworkplace

•  Prepareresume,pracFcepresentaFons,discussdressandpracFceinterviewquesFons•  BUT•  Don’tdiscussthelawsthatgivethemrightsoverwhattheyearnedandhowtochallengethetheDoftheirearnings

•  TeachingaboutwagetheDcouldhelpempowerstudents

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Whythereisn’t/shouldbeacriminologyofwagetheD

• CriminologyprogramsclaimtheywanttohelpstudentsthinkcriFcallyaboutcrimeandjusFce,evenexposetheinjusFceofharshpunishmentsforthepoor…justnotthehypocrisyofasystemwithlisleaccountabilityforthepowerful

• WhydosomestatewageandhourdivisionswhopolicebusinesshavenoinvesFgaFvepower?• Whywerethewageandhourdivisionsofseveralstatescompletelydefundedforseveralyears,sothattherewasnostatepolicingofwagetheD?

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Conclusion:CallforaCriminologyofWageTheD

•  “Afairday’spayforafairday’swork”

• VicFmology:MassfinancialvicFmizaFons•  Cancostindividualsasignificant%ofincome,espstressfulwheninprecariouseconomicsituaFon•  Cheatgovtoutoftaxes[reduceservices,increasetaxes]

• CompeFFveadvantagestobusinessesengagedinwagetheD,sopracFcespreadsifenforcementisweak•  Outsourcetolowestbidder,solessdirectlyaccountableforwagetheDthatispartofthebusinessmodel

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•  CriminologyshouldstudyallsignificantcrimesandembraceequalprotecFonunderthelaw.

•  EspeciallyNOT

•  “workplacetheD”meansemployeesstealing,notemployers•  “insurancefraud”meansinsurancecompanyvicFms,notperpetrators

•  “creditcardfraud”meansfinancialinsFtuFonvicFms,notpredatoryandillegalbehaviorbyfinancialinsFtuFons

•  JockYoungnotesthatatFmes,criminologyis“parodyingthemostconvenFonalprejudicesofbourgeoissociety”(inPearce,CrimesofthePowerful[1976],p11)

Conclusion:CallforaCriminologyofWageTheD

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Dr.PaulLeightonisaProfessorintheDepartmentofSociology,Anthropology&CriminologyatEasternMichiganUniversity.Heistheco-authorofTheRichGetRicherandthePoorGetPrison(11thed,Routledge2017).Heisalsoco-authorofClass,Race,Gender&Crime(4thed,RowmanandLislefield,2013).MoreinformaFon:hsp://paulsjusFcepage.com/paul/pauls-cv.htm

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