NCJ Number
109338
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (September, 1987) Pages: 425-439
Date Published
1987
Length
15 pages
Annotation
In the past decade, academic research on white-collar crime has reemerged.
Abstract
Most of this inquiry has focused on three general issues: (1) public attitudes toward the seriousness of white-collar crime, (2) the use of government sanctions to control white-collar crime, and (3) the differential and often beneficial treatment afforded white-collar criminals in comparison to traditional offenders. Little of this research has examined the prosecutorial link between occurrences of white-collar crime and the imposition of sanctions on white-collar offenders. In this study, an attempt to focus on the link that exists at the level of State attorneys general, a survey of 50 State attorneys general was conducted. The results suggest the following: (1) State attorneys general prefer to use criminal sanctions, but use them most in cases involving individuals; (2) when organizations are involved in white-collar criminality, civil intervention is preferred; (3) the most crucial factor in the decision to prosecute and investigate white-collar crime is the seriousness of the offense; (4) the least important factors in the decision to investigate and prosecute white-collar violations are publicity aspects and political considerations; (5) State attorneys general may play an important part in the prosecution of white-collar crime because of the limited resources available in most local prosecutors' offices. (Publisher abstract)