AMERICAN BUSINESSES OF ALL SIZES, FROM THE 'MOM AND POP' STORES TO GIANT INDUSTRIAL FIRMS, ARE BEING PLAGUED BY COSTLY CRIME PERPETRATED BY THEIVES BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE COMPANY. NEARLY 40 BILLION DOLLARS ARE DRAINED FROM BUSINESS EVERY YEAR. FURTHERMORE, BUSINESS LOSSES CLIMBED 75 PERCENT BETWEEN 1972 AND 1975, AND LITTLE IS BEING DONE TO HAMPER THIS RISE. RETAIL STORES ARE THE BIGGEST LOSERS, BECAUSE THEIR COMMODITIES--CASH AND GOODS--ARE EASY TO STEAL AND EASY TO BENEFIT FROM. MOST STORES ARE UNAWARE OF APPROPRIATE PROTECTION MEASURES AND TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THEY WILL BE VICTIMIZED, PARTICULARLY BY THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES; TO COUNTER LOSSES, THEY SIMPLY MARK UP THE PRICES OF GOODS. FRAUD, ANOTHER MAJOR FACTOR IN LOSSES, HAS LED TO THE CLOSING OF ABOUT 100 BANKS IN A 20-YEAR PERIOD. EMBEZZLEMENT SOARED BY ALMOST 70 PERCENT BETWEEN 1971 AND 1977; BURGLARY AND INSURANCE FRAUD ARE BIG BUSINESS, AND BRIBERY IS COMMONLY ACCEPTED AS NECESSARY BY MANY CORPORATIONS. MEANWHILE, PERSONS CAUGHT AND CONVICTED FOR CORPORATE CRIMES ARE RECEIVING LIGHT SENTENCES. AN INDEPENDENT STUDY OF 138 OFFENDERS SHOWS THAT ABOUT 27 PERCENT RECEIVED FINES, SUSPENDED SENTENCES, OR PROBATION EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD TOGETHER STOLEN OR MISMANAGED AN AVERAGE OF 21.6 MILLION DOLLARS. THIS COMBINATION OF EASY CRIME PERPETRATION, THE SMALL CHANCE OF THE CRIME BEING REPORTED OR THE CRIMINAL CAUGHT, AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MILD SENTENCE MAKES BUSINESS A GOLD MINE FOR WHITE-COLLAR CRIMINALS. NO REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DAG)