Business Commons^™

The Sentencing Structure Of White-Collar Crime, Catherine Reeves

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Corporate fraud is an all-too-common element in our society today. Unfortunately, many of those convicted of fraud end up with a seemingly light jail sentence. A possible explanation for this is that the judges could have many subconscious reasons to give lighter sentences in these cases than they do with other more violent cases. Since there are no strict guidelines for the sentencing of these “white-collar criminals,” the judge’s personal views can play a significant role. Many of the laws and guidelines for determining the sentence in fraud cases have stemmed from the corporate scandals of the early 2000’s, but …