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Peter Wetherell's avatar

I am not sure how Jack Keesler started dropping into my inbox - but I have never read a bad article. Each is thought provoking.

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Graham Evans's avatar

Not a very surprising result, but it doesn't give much insight into the specifics of what can be done to counter the impression that lots of people are breaking the rules.

In the case of fare dodging, and some forms of shoplifting, this can be achieved by high levels of surveillance but much surveillance isn't visible, relying on technology (CCTV, etc) rather than the physical presence of ticket inspectors, etc, to save money.

Benefit fraud is a hot topic, though the sums involved are often small compared to major financial fraud, because we observe people around us, but in the UK we seem to treat the risks involved in business fraud as little more than a potential business expense rather than something that should bring shame and opprobrium. Tax dodgers risk a financial penalty, but rarely a criminal conviction and public humiliation.

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