An Exploratory Study of the Variation in Japan\u27s Embezzlement Rates via Institutional Anomie Theory

Institutional anomie theory (IAT) explains the variation in crime at the societal level by the combination of cultural features, and the institutional balance of power between Economy and non-economic institutions. IAT has had empirical support at the national level as well as within country variation to explain both street and white-collar crimes. This study sought to explore embezzlement trends within IAT framework via the economic, family, political and educational institutions in Japan (1985-2005), a country that emulates some elements of American capitalism yet has strong collective cultural norms that is known for exerting strong informal social control. By converting the original rate data into z-scores the trends were standardized on the same scale, so variations in economic and structural conditions over time on Japanese embezzlement were easier to observe. The implications for IAT were discussed