Focus On White-Collar Crime: Accounting Fraud and Computer Crimes Creates Need; Qualified Investing


An epidemic of white-collar financial crime has resulted in the development of specialized education programs focused on economic crime investigation and fraud management. These college-level degree programs attract students who are interested in law enforcement and are attracted by the very unique nature of these types of crimes and the special investigative techniques required to solve them.

There seems to be no end to the greed in the hearts of some professional business people. It isn't enough to have fancy cars, vacation homes and other lavish perks of the highly successful. Many selfish individuals have decided to play a risky game of "milk-the-company-for-all-it's-worth" to fuel an unhealthy appetite to acquire more "things" for no other reason than to have them. As a result, books are cooked, balance sheets become unbalanced and finally, as in the case of Enron, there is nothing left to share with the shareholders.

Economic crime is a broad category encompassing a variety of offenses all of which are focused on bilking a private company, government agency or other professional institution out of their financial resources. Individuals at any level of an organization including, as we have seen in recent years, the most senior management, may perpetrate these crimes. And the methods that they use may be highly sophisticated including manipulating computer systems or fudging accounting records.

A fraud investigator must be highly educated and well versed in the financial and technological systems and practices that may have been altered or doctored in some way. Terms like "computer forensics and "accounting forensics" have entered the lexicon of crime investigators as they begin probing a crime scene that does not contain blood evidence, signs of violence or even an obvious victim. But these are certainly not victimless crimes.

Hundreds of major corporations, government institutions and law enforcement agencies are staffing up with economic crime specialists, fraud investigators and fraud management specialists. The need for qualified investigators has prompted colleges to develop specialized curricula devoted to the study of economic crime prevention. Some schools feature Bachelor's and Master's Degree programs in Economic Crime. The courses are usually instructed by faculty members experienced in economic crime investigation and computer crime control. Right now, more than 90% of their Bachelor's in Economic Crime Investigation graduates are working in professional positions relevant to their career interests.

Graduates with these unique, highly specialized degrees are in great demand. A number of colleges are now making these programs available for online study. That means that, no matter what your current commitments or time constraints, these very attractive and potentially lucrative and rewarding degree programs are available to almost anyone. Who knows, at some point in the not-too-distant future you may be instrumental in finding, apprehending and convicting economic criminals that are stealing from us all.

Terry McDermott is the author and administrator of a portfolio of specialized websites with a primary focus on the category of online education including Access Online Degrees at http://www.accessonlinedegrees.com







Related News



Obama inauguration shown live in Miller Auditorium - WMU News

Obama inauguration shown live in Miller Auditorium
WMU News, MI -Jan 6, 2009
Advisors from WMU's Career and Student Employment Services will be at Miller Auditorium with information about careers and internships in government through ...

The state of IT careers: What will become of IT jobs lost in ... - WTN News

The state of IT careers: What will become of IT jobs lost in ...
WTN News, WI -3 hours ago
“That certainly doesn't mean they can't seek employment elsewhere,” he noted. “Everyone's situation is different, but the majority of people we talk to are ...

Can Career Change Land Recession-Proof Job? - KCRA.com

Can Career Change Land Recession-Proof Job?
KCRA.com, CA -Jan 5, 2009
The California Employment Development Department said those who are out of work may do better transitioning into other careers. ...

Job seekers flock to CityCenter Careers web site - MSNBC

Job seekers flock to CityCenter Careers web site
MSNBC -9 hours ago
It's being called the largest, single new employment opportunity in the country, and it's happening right here in Las Vegas. ...

Goodwill to add careers center at Wilkesboro store - Winston-Salem Journal

Goodwill to add careers center at Wilkesboro store
Winston-Salem Journal, NC -6 hours ago
The ribbon cutting will be at 11:30 am The new Goodwill Career Connections Center will partner with agencies including the Employment Security Commission, ...


The Best & Worst Careers Today! - SayCampusLife

SayCampusLife

The Best & Worst Careers Today!
SayCampusLife, VA -15 hours ago
Mathematician — If you like children, then a career as a teacher in the public schools is a lock for you. Actuary — If there is anything certain these days ...
Best And Worst Jobs For 2009CBS 4
Mathematician Rated Nation's Best Job in New CareerCast.com Jobs ...PR Newswire (press release)
all 13 news articles

CV Adult School: Is Your Job Recession-Proof? - San Leandro Times

CV Adult School: Is Your Job Recession-Proof?
San Leandro Times,  United States -16 hours ago
Castro Valley Adult and Career Education provide quality career training courses expressly designed for local industry and employment needs within the ...

2009 Outlook for Job Seekers: Not Great - Lawn & Landscape

2009 Outlook for Job Seekers: Not Great
Lawn & Landscape, OH -2 hours ago
Manpower’s Employment Outlook survey says that employers in eight of 13 industry sectors plan to increase staffing levels in the first quarter of 2009, ...

Colleges aiding graduates in job hunt - AsiaOne

AsiaOne

Colleges aiding graduates in job hunt
AsiaOne, Singapore -13 hours ago
Sungkonghoe University is to launch a "Mock Company Program" this summer, mainly for graduates, including junior workers who have just started their careers...

The HBPTEA Organization Provides New Hope for Individuals Seeking ... - PR.com (press release)

The HBPTEA Organization Provides New Hope for Individuals Seeking ...
PR.com (press release), NY -13 hours ago
Dallas, TX, January 07, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Home Business Professionals Telecommuting Employment Agency Career Development & Resource Center (HBPTEA) is a ...