What concept did Box (1983) introduce to explain how corporate crime can be normalized?

What concept did Box (1983) introduce to explain how corporate crime can be normalized?

• A. Delinquency
• B. Theory of social control
• C. Mystification
• D. Denial of responsibility

Answer: (C)

Box introduced the concept of mystification to explain how corporate crime can be normalized. This concept highlights the processes by which the wrongdoing of corporations is obscured or made to seem less serious. Mystification helps in creating a distance between the actions of corporations and the negative consequences that arise from those actions, thereby minimizing public concern about corporate misconduct. Through mystification, the corporate environment can create narratives or justifications that downplay the impact of their actions, making it easier for society to overlook their criminal behavior. This process leads to a normalization of corporate crime, where such behavior is seen as a standard part of business practices rather than as deviant acts that deserve scrutiny and condemnation. This idea is crucial for understanding how powerful entities can evade accountability and maintain their legitimacy within society, even when engaging in unlawful activities.

Box introduced the concept of mystification to explain how corporate crime can be normalized. This concept highlights the processes by which the wrongdoing of corporations is obscured or made to seem less serious. Mystification helps in creating a distance between the actions of corporations and the negative consequences that arise from those actions, thereby minimizing public concern about corporate misconduct.

Through mystification, the corporate environment can create narratives or justifications that downplay the impact of their actions, making it easier for society to overlook their criminal behavior. This process leads to a normalization of corporate crime, where such behavior is seen as a standard part of business practices rather than as deviant acts that deserve scrutiny and condemnation. This idea is crucial for understanding how powerful entities can evade accountability and maintain their legitimacy within society, even when engaging in unlawful activities.