Agents and employees of Axiom Corporation and Obi Corporation are convicted of c

Question

Agents and employees of Axiom Corporation and Obi Corporation are convicted of conspiring to violate a fed­eral law that is punishable by a term of imprisonment and a fine.

1) Can the corporations be held liable for these crimes? If so, how can they be punished? What about the agents/employees who committed the crimes?

2) Corporate violations are typically referred to as “white collar” crimes because they do typically not involve acts of violence. Who is hurt by white collar crime? Should more, less, or equal leniency be shown in the penalties/sentences for white collar crime than for more violent crimes such as rape, murder, and armed robbery?

Explanation / Answer

The corporation cannot be held liable for the crimes since the agents and the employees alone can be prosecuted for the crimes. The company can be held liable for the crime in the civil suit if there is any evidence found that the company had a legal duty towards the individuals who files the suit. White collar crimes are nonviolent crimes that are usually committed by government or businesses. It is a huge fraudulent activities committed in the government or the businesses. The losses incurred are so huge that it affects the investors, employees, consumers and even the tax payers. There is a general argument that potential sentences for white collar crimes are far less than the physical violence because it does not hurt anybody physically. However, people are affected mentally in such crimes. White collar crimes are well executed that large amount of money is being stolen. The white collar does not involve any violence however there are victims. Government should not discriminate between the crimes instead all the white collar crimes should be punished equally to that of other crimes.

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