General theory, gender-specific theory, and white-collar crime

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of gender in white-collar crime. Directions for future research testing general and gender-specific theories are provided. Design/methodology/approach – Prior research is reviewed and critiques of general and gender-specific explanations for offending in the workplace context are advanced. Findings – Gender-specific explanations in other offending contexts (e.g. violent crime) appear to be less applicable to the understanding of white-collar crime, a finding that lends support to general theory. Practical implications – This paper provides an outline for future research testing criminological theory in organizational settings. Originality/value – This paper represents a unique attempt to apply general and gender-specific theories to a variety of financial crimes in the context of organizations.