Data for this analysis were drawn from an ongoing study of local prosecutors and corporate crime in the United States. Part one of the study, a national survey of district attorneys, was conducted during the spring of 1989. The second part of the study was an ethnographic analysis of corporate crime control in four jurisdictions selected because of their relatively high levels of activity in this area. During the fall of 1989, the researchers interviewed prosecutors and investigators who specialize in white-collar and corporate crime. Researchers also interviewed representatives from the respective State attorney general's offices, local police, and various State and Federal regulatory agencies. Although most local prosecutors did not regard corporate crime as a serious problem, their willingness to prosecute increases if an offense causes substantial harm and other agencies fail to act. Despite repeated calls for coordinated responses to corporate crime, relatively few local prosecutors participate in interagency control networks. Those in control networks, however, conducted more prosecutions and expressed greater concern over corporate crime. The commitment of organizational resources and resulting career opportunities thereby created may explain differences between network and nonnetwork districts. 5 tables and 22 references
Local Prosecutors and Corporate Crime
NCJ Number
154637
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1990) Pages: 356-372
Date Published
1990
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Based on a national survey and interviews, this article describes the attitudes and practices of local prosecutors regarding corporate crime.
Abstract