NCJ Number
102890
Journal
Security Management Volume: 30 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1986) Pages: 141-148
Date Published
1986
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the impact of white-collar crime; the difficulty of detecting and prosecuting it; and the U.S. Justice Department's policy in pursuing its prosecution, prevention, punishment, and deterrence.
Abstract
White-collar crime not only bilks citizens out of billions of dollars annually but also undermines confidence in society's major institutions. White-collar crime is difficult to detect and prosecute successfully because victims do not always know they have been victimized, perpetrators use sophisticated methods, limited jurisdictional boundaries impede law enforcement agencies, and analysis of multitudes of documents is often required. The U.S. Justice Department tailors its response to white-collar crime according to the evidence available, the relative involvement of individuals and corporations, and the civil and criminal sanctions likely to provide the appropriate prevention, punishment, and deterrence. The Justice Department's choice between a civil and criminal action depends on the strength of the evidence and the sanctions available under each option. Every effort is made to bring criminal prosecutions. In corporate crimes, this involves identifying the individuals in the corporation who acted with criminal intent. Corporations are also criminally prosecuted to obtain criminal finest Regulatory sanctions can also be severe, such as prohibiting a corporation from conducting certain kinds of business.