Economic Crime Group

The Economic Crime Research Group (ECRG) brings together a diverse body of economic criminologists from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Economic criminology at its simplest is the study of financially motivated economic crimes. This includes fraud, corruption, bribery, money laundering, terrorist financing, cartels, economic cybercrime, economic and industrial espionage, intellectual property crime, and deviant acts perpetrated by individuals or organisations against individuals or organisations. 

This group aims to generate knowledge that will reduce the harm of these crimes and deviant acts, improving the response to them as well as wider questions concerning power relations and the application of relevant theory. The group covers the following themes:

• Counter-economic crime strategies
• Economic crime measurement
• Economic crime offenders
• Preventing economic crime and corporate compliance
• Sanctions against economic crime criminals
• Security, terrorism, and political violence
• Training and education related to economic crime
• Victims of economic crime

Our research draws upon a wide base of interdisciplinary scholars, who are not just located in traditional schools of criminology. Economic criminology must embrace the radical criminology espoused by white collar scholars and others, while drawing on every specialist discipline that contributes to the understanding of economic crime — including economics, computer science, security, accountancy, business management, psychology, rehabilitation, policing, and all forms of justice.

Key conferences and events

Annual Counter Fraud and Forensic Accounting Conference 
This annual conference at the University of Portsmouth features more than 20 speakers commenting on the latest ideas and research in economic criminology.

Annual Winter Economic Crime Symposium
This annual event brings together a diverse body of researchers, practitioners, students, and other community members to discuss most relevant economic crime topics in an open and flexible format. 

Economic Crime Seminar Series
A seminar series in economic crime invites those with expertise and interest in economic crime across faculties, departments, students and broader community to come together, share ideas, and engage in a collaborative work.

Teaching and related courses

Browse our Criminology postgraduate research degrees, including PhDs and MPhils.

Researchers in economic crime also teach on the MSc Economic Crime, and contribute modules toward a unique economic crime pathway in our undergraduate criminology provision. Several of our modules and courses are also recognised by important professional bodies such as ACFE. 

We offer training courses leading to a Certificate in Prevention of Bribery and Corruption and a Certificate in Intellectual Property Crime and Illicit Trade.

Partnerships and collaborations

We have access to one of the UK's largest groups of active economic crime researchers, and extensive links with policing, enforcement and industry bodies. 

Our research is regularly used and funded by government bodies, law enforcement and other public and private organisations who deal with fraud and other economic crime. Recent funders include the Home Office, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, Intellectual Property Office, the Nuffield Foundation, Cifas, City of London Police, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Crowe UK (formerly Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP).