These paradoxes revolve around the distinctions between the serious crimes committed and the type of people who commit them, the distinctions between property crimes and violent crimes, the differences between profits and losses, the disparity between the number of offenses committed and the crimes actually charged, the various pathways to justice, the exigencies of the criminal justice system and the practical issues in plea bargaining, the balance between formal and informal punishments, the competing purposes of sentencing, and the differences between the real and symbolic aspects of sentences. The paper also examines some empirical evidence regarding sentences imposed on white-collar criminals and explores some alternatives to the current system in Australia. Alternatives discussed are sentencing guidelines, the use of community service, shaming, and restorative justice programs. A 30-item bibliography and a table of recent white-collar sentences in Australia