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Local Prosecutors and Corporate Crime

NCJ Number
135876
Author(s)
M L Benson
Date Published
Unknown
Length
118 pages
Annotation
The prosecution of corporate crime was studied by means of a mail survey of about 1,000 district attorneys; analysis of official crime, social, and economic data; and interviews with prosecutors, regulatory personnel, and other criminal justice representatives in four jurisdictions.
Abstract
The survey gathered information on the organizational and fiscal resources of the prosecutor's office, the organization of local law enforcement networks, perceived constraints on prosecutorial decisionmaking in corporate cases, and the corporate criminal cases handled in preceding years. Results revealed that the most common crimes are consumer fraud, but environmental crimes and workplace-related offenses are also receiving attention. In addition, little networking exists between Federal and local agencies. Moreover, the decision not to prosecute is shaped primarily by legal and resource constraints. Furthermore, for most prosecutors the main goal is to deter corporate crime by convicting corporate criminals. Nevertheless, a broader view of the prosecutor's role also emerged, emphasizing the reduction of criminality as a central function rather than as a hoped-for byproduct of punishment. Recommended measures to enhance efforts against corporate crime include the establishment of regional laboratories and a national information clearinghouse, creating local computer networks, educating the public, and improving training. Tables, appended questionnaire and results, and 86 references