Question one:
White collar crimes are essentially the non-violent crimes committed by persons of high social status who do not consider themselves as criminals. The individuals are usually in a position of trust. They choose to violate that trust and, as a result, deleterious ramifications follow. Their crimes affect thousands of households. Countries have stipulated steep penalties to white collar crimes. In China, the punishment for white collar crimes is the death penalty. In the United States of America, steep penalties were stipulated after the Jeffery Skilling and Enron Scandal. President Bush signed into law the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, in 2002 which provided for long jail terms to those who commit white collar crimes (Henning, 2011).
Despite the tough measures put in place by the federal government, white collar crimes have continued to increase. White collar criminals have invented new methods to evade being caught. In the stock market, unscrupulous stock brokers manipulate the stock market by providing false information to an unwitting reporter. Once the story has been published, the National Security Exchange officials focus their attention on the published rumors, allowing the market manipulators to take advantage of the Security Exchange. White collar criminals are becoming more alert than before and do not send self-incriminating emails that would lead them to be caught.
Since 2002 the courts have imposed heavy penalties to white collar criminals. Ken Ray of Enron was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Although he died before sentencing, white collar crimes have continued to be reported. Even prior to the Act being signed into law, the courts were already prescribing heavy prison sentences to white collar criminals (Lilly, Cullen, & Richard, 2011).
Sholam Weiss was convicted of multiple accounts of money laundering and fraud. He was proved guilty of looting the National Heritage Insurance and sentenced to 835 years in the year 2000. Initially, he had been sentenced to 845 years in prison, but on appeal the judge reduced the prison term by ten years. Sholam Weiss is expected to be released on 23rd November 2754. On May 2102 Keith Franklin Simmons, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for masterminding a Ponzi scheme that made people lose more than $ 500 million. Greed and desire for material prosperity overrides the message the courts send to white collar criminals by meting out long prison sentences (Henning, 2011).
Question two:
The organizational structure of the corporate world encourages white collar crimes. In criminogenic organizations, the superiors promote loose ethical values. New employees who have left college with idealism are inducted into the culture of violating the law. They are taught techniques for violating the law without being caught. The new employees are forced to do things they would not consider logical or ethical to do before being inducted into the system. The culture of violating the law is reinforced by being rewarded when they comply with the instructions of their superiors (White-collar crime: An Overview, 2012). Adelphia Communications is an example of a business organization that promoted the criminogenic culture among its workers. In 2002, the company collapsed and its directors were convicted of corruption and sent to prison (Lilly, Cullen, & Richard, 2011).
Question three:
The history of American conservatism is riddled with tensions and competing ideologies. Conservatives advocate for the adherence to tradition and out rightly express their support for Republicanism and the rule of law. Since 1950’s conservatism has always been associated with the Republican Party. The American Revolution, the Second World War and the September 11 attacks are some of the notable events in the history of the United States of America that have influenced the conservative theories of criminology.
Before the American Civil war court systems applied the Retributive theory of punishment. The theory focused on the wrong done by the individual. It punished the offender for the wrongs done to the victims as a result of the wrongs done. During the Second World War the United States were focused on deterrence of criminal offenders. The deterrence theory aimed at preventing criminals from committing crimes. Proponents of the theory argue that the reasons why criminals are sent to prison are; to maintain law and order and prevent the proliferation of criminal activities.
Question four:
According to the conservative theorization, criminals are sent to prison as a measure of preventing them from committing more crimes. Another aspect of conservative theory of incarceration is ensuring that justice is done to the victims of the crimes. The arguments propounded in this paper agree with the aspects of the conversationalist theories of incarceration. Although civil rights activist argue that prisoners go to correctional facilities to get be reformed, most prisoners come out of prisoners unchanged or even worse. Some petty offenders go to prison and graduate to become hard core criminals. Rehabilitation works for some first time offenders as other graduate to become multiple offenders and are returned to prison shortly after they are let free.
Question five:
Conversationalists argue that if tough measures are employed by the state crime will reduce drastically. Chicago school of thought argues that environmental determinism influences an individual’s inclination to crime. Children from crime infested neighborhoods are more likely to turn into delinquents than those raised in areas that are safe. The tough rules legislated by the state and employed by the court will do little to reduce their inclination to crime (Thornyberry, 2004).
In conclusion prisoners go to prison as a punishment but not for punishment. Criminal behavior is influenced by the social environment one grows up in. The harsh life of the ghetto is more likely to influence someone to get involved in criminal activities than association with criminals. Prisoners should be provided with a good environment so that they can reform and become productive members of the society.
References
White-collar crime:An Overview. (2012, May 6). Retrieved January 26, 2014, from Legal Information Institution: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/white-collar_crime
Henning, P. (2011, June 30). Tough Justice Persists in White-Collar Crime Cases. Washington Post, pp. 12-30. Retrieved January 26, 2014, from The New York Times: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/06/30/tough-justice-persists-in-white-collar-crime-cases/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Lilly, R., Cullen, F., & Richard, B. (2011). Criminological Theory: Context and Consequences. New York: SAGE.
Thornyberry, T. (2004). Developmental Theories Of Crime And Delinquency. New York: Transaction Publishers.
