NCJ Number
102212
Date Published
1985
Length
109 pages
Annotation
Crimes against people's health and safety are considered in terms of the legal issues related to specific crimes, the problems encountered in trying to control and prosecute them, and the appropriate role of the legal system in structuring risks to health and safety.
Abstract
Efforts to define these crimes raise issues both of fairness and of effectiveness in achieving the goal of protecting health and safety. Prosecuting corporations or individuals for these crimes under conventional criminal laws like homicide statutes is rare and has a low chance of success. It is also costly and serves mainly a symbolic purpose. Most enforcement takes place through the regulatory agencies that focus on consumer protection, worker health and safety, and environmental protection. The cost and burden of complying with regulations provoke complaints, but public support is likely to continue for the selective use of criminal penalties for health and safety violations. However, technological change and the realities of international commerce sometimes make controls impossible. Accidents, oversight, and cutting corners all contribute to illness and injuries. Despite the problems of enforcement, heightened public awareness and litigation have made corporations more sensitive to health and safety needs. The public accountability of regulatory agencies has also increased. Chapter references, case examples, chart, questions and answers for each chapter, index, and 11 annotated references.