dutiescrime

Dutiescrime is a term used in criminology and legal discussions to denote crimes that arise from or directly relate to duties owed by individuals in positions of responsibility. The exact definition varies, but most formulations identify duties that originate from professional obligations, official responsibilities, or fiduciary relationships. In this sense, dutiescrime highlights the failure to fulfill a duty that is legally or ethically binding to others, or the deliberate betrayal of that duty through unlawful acts.

Scope and examples: The concept encompasses offenses such as bribery and embezzlement committed in the course of public or corporate duties, conflicts of interest that lead to unlawful decisions, and malfeasance carried out under the authority of an office or organization. It can also include gross negligence that breaches a duty of care, or misappropriation of assets entrusted to someone in a fiduciary role. Proponents argue that focusing on duty helps distinguish harmful acts from mere criminal behavior outside a professional context.

Legal and scholarly status: Dutiescrime is not a universally adopted legal category; it is primarily an analytical construct used to organize discussions about duty-related misconduct. Critics warn that the term risks ambiguity, overlapping with established categories such as white-collar crime, corruption, abuse of power, and official misconduct. Empirical work on dutiescrime tends to rely on case studies and comparative law to illustrate how duty obligations influence both the perception and the prosecution of certain acts.

See also: White-collar crime, corruption, fiduciary duty, embezzlement, abuse of power, official misconduct.