A Criminological Analysis of Criminal Conduct in the Legal Profession

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.

2 full professor of law faculty , Qom university

3 Phd student, criminal law and criminology,qom university

Abstract

Criminal behaviors associated with the legal profession are often examined in a fragmented manner and reduced to individual misconduct, whereas their proper explanation requires a theoretical framework capable of revealing the relationship between institutional structures, professional practice, and criminal decision-making. This study is fundamental in purpose and theoretical-analytical in method. Drawing upon criminological and legal literature, laws and regulations, as well as selected judicial and disciplinary decisions, it seeks to provide a coherent criminological model for explaining lawyer-related criminal conduct within the Iranian legal system. To this end, judicial and disciplinary cases involving tax evasion, fraudulent acquisition of a client’s property or documents, unlawful influence peddling, disclosure of professional secrets, and unauthorized practice or interference in legal representation are analyzed through an integrated framework combining Rational Choice Theory, Merton’s Strain Theory, Neutralization Techniques, and Victimology. The findings indicate that such conduct is not merely the result of individual moral failure, but rather emerges from the interaction of rational cost-benefit calculations, structural pressures, normative deficiencies, and the asymmetrical nature of lawyer-client relationships. The study demonstrates that this integrated framework facilitates a shift from descriptive analyses toward preventive criminal policy tailored to the realities of the legal profession.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Criminal Law Doctrines

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 July 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 December 2025
  • Revise Date: 22 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 12 July 2026
  • Publish Date: 25 July 2026

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