It's Only Stealing a Little a Lot: Techniques of Neutralization for Theft Among Restaurant Workers

Abstract

This study examines the techniques of neutralization that restaurant workers employ in their accounts of theft. The data are composed of participant observation and 44 in-depth semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data reveals a widespread use of techniques of neutralization for theft. The restaurant workers employ six formerly documented techniques of neutralization and two newly identified ones: Denial of Excess and No One Cares. These findings contribute to our knowledge of how and why people steal from their places of employment and suggest that the dominant moral code, both inside and outside the restaurant, influences theft behavior. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.