Study explores reentry challenges for white-collar offenders
Criminal justice researcher Michael Benson speaks to WVXU
University of Cincinnati criminal justice expert Michael Benson was a guest speaker on WVXU’s “Cincinnati Edition” to discuss a study he co-led on white collar crime and re-entry into society after incarceration.
“The reason we wanted to focus on this is because the number of people convicted of what we call white collar crime has been increasing,” said Benson, a professor emeritus and senior research associate at UC’s School of Criminal Justice.
White collar crimes, he said, are known as crimes of deceit such as fraud, tax evasion and embezzlement as opposed to street crimes which typically include physical violence.
The study was in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University and found unique challenges that individuals who have been convicted of white-collar crimes face upon reentry to the workforce.
This study, he said, found that those who committed white collar crimes had fewer issues with housing and employment than street criminals. However, white collar criminals had increased difficulty with their identity being attached to their incarceration.
“They were worried about meeting new people…fearful that their story would be found out,” said Benson.
Photo at top of tax forms and handcuffs/iStock/ronstik
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
UC launches Bearcats Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcats Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcats Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.
BearcatGPT AI platform now available to all UC faculty and staff
December 9, 2025
University of Cincinnati Digital Technology Solutions is excited to announce that BearcatGPT, the university’s private, secure AI platform, is now available to all UC faculty and staff.
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.