Economic Crime over Time: Shifting Boundaries or Repeating History?

Abstract

This article is based on analysis of studies dealing with economic crime published in the Journal of Criminal Investigation and Criminology from its inception. The author focuses on systemic views in theoretical and practical research of this type of crime, stressing the contemporary context. She concludes that the criminological and criminal law findings and thoughts written decades ago are still topical, pointing to the conclusion that there has been no significant breakthrough in the fight against economic crime in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia to date. In this context, the author draws attention to the often overlooked fact that an important motive (cause) of economic crime is greed; a human characteristic that cannot be eliminated by the threat of punishment or with a criminal sentence itself, but its restriction requires educational measures and approaches. However, this cannot be a reason why economic criminal law should not play a limited, but still very important, role in the fight against economic crime. For that, in the domestic legal order, it would be necessary to thoroughly consolidate the legal (material and procedural) basis of this legal branch that would, to a certain extent, also facilitate work in practice. And it would also be necessary to initiate systematic research of economic crime in theory and practice, since in this way the measures could be discussed on the basis of comprehensive data and the latest scientific findings, which could also be included in the educational programs of law enforcement, prosecution authorities, and the courts.