Should white collar criminals be put in "jail"?

[castille]

Should white collar criminals (ie. fraud, insider trading, etc) be placed in the same jails (and even cells) as violent or petty criminals (ie. murderers, rapists, pedofiles, etc)?

On one hand, its argued they deserve it (depending on the crime, I wouldn't expect someone who stole office stationary to be sent to Mongolia).

On the other hand, its also argued the physically peaceful corporate types might learn some violence from the violent criminals (spending 4 years in jail can "condition" you to become violent if you are thrown in with the violent groups).

[giuliano]

if you're going to put drug dealers in with hardened crims then i don't see why you can't put white collar crims in too

[Osborn F Enready]

Great answer Giuliano, and I simply could not agree more. What more proof could there be that the corrupt white collar criminals in office protect their own, than to shield them from even getting the same sentence of "commoner" crimes. The elitist mind set never ceases to amaze me.

[Compugasm]

I voted labor camp. But I've got another idea. Why don't we throw out all the illegal aliens, and all the Ken Lays and Martha Stewarts can pick the strawberries. EDIT: I just heard on the radio, 1/3rd the prison population is illegal aliens... well, I guess they can continue picking.

[Jeff]

Most states do segregate criminals according to how violent they are. I see the biggest problem with the limited amount of fines. I do think they should receive stiffer sentences, but they should forfeit every single penny of profit and pay stiff fines. Allowing someone to retire to a big mansion after prison is not what I consider justice. The threat of loosing everything might be a deterrent to cheating the system.

[PatrickHenry]

1.fine 'em,

2.beat'em with sticks,

3.release 'em, and

4.make 'em pay restitution to the victims, but

5.not keep any ill-gotten gains

[argonak]

Personally, i feel that the state of our penal system is a travesty. From all stand points. People go to prison as punishment and segregation from society. But that doesn't mean we should abandon them to torment eachother.

[castille]

Well I think everyone gets beaten up with sticks in prison anyway, so it won't change anything.

I recall my sociology professor talking about how life in prison, especially amongst violent criminals, can turn people violent when they are released. Does anyone remember the movie "American Psycho", where this white collar guy (lawyer or something) went around murdering people with a butcher knife or something?

I wonder, do white collar criminals who share cells with Bob the Killer become more violent as a result? Has there ever been an experiment proving or disproving this theory?

[m5lange1]

Not as long as they are claiming "limited space" is an excuse for releasing violent criminals.

[Liberty Landing]

m5lange1 beat me to it. We are releasing murderers and rapists because of limited prison space (thank you, War on Drugs). We don't have prison space to be shoving non-violent white collar criminals in there.

I agree with the restitution/hefty fine route. That way, they suffer financially (not to mention having their names dragged through the mud) without actually taking up much-needed prison space.

[Nono]

Don't forget the scam within a scam: prison privatization. You start paying taxpayers' money to your business buddies to make big bucks running your country's prisons for you. And what better way to fill their coffers than to start putting away all sorts of new categories of offenders?

But getting tough on white-collar crime brings things kind of close to home. Jailers and their guests could end up playing musical chairs. Maybe they could build a series of tastefully appointed luxury prisons in places with a pleasant climate. That way, if you get caught with your hand in the till during a bout of populist draconianism, well, it'll be like the first-class section of a Colombian prison: not so bad when you get used to it.

[Compugasm]

I don't understand how every politician is not in jail.

[JohnLockeRocks]

A crime is a crime. I don't think it's fair to sentence the twit who wiped out $50M in pensions to 6 mos., time served, while the poor fella who stole $5 in food goes to jail longer. I don't care if the criminal is white-collar. Make it fair. Make the guy who's done the most damage stay in jail the longest.

[PatrickHenry]

KennyBoy=Life in prison w/out parole

[castille]

What I don't get is, what determines damage?

If a white collar guy steals $100M from wealthy investors, is that equal to a criminal who murders someone?

How much money is equal to a life? Or say, if a criminal rapes a girl (who is then scarred for life), how much money should we put on that?

[giuliano]

it depends who you steal from. a lawyer stealing M$10 in trust funds that were people's retirement funds is more harmful that stealing M$100 from First State Bank.

stealing someone's retirement fund is up there with rape or serious assault imo.

[Rave7pt0]

I don't think we should have jail. Let's rehabilitate those we can, then rocket the rest to Mars!

[incka]

I think they should have a sentence which would rehablilite them, just as anyone should who commits a crime, I think prison is pretty useless.

[tinybear]

White collar criminals should be treated just like any other. Why should they be treated differently?

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: giuliano it depends who you steal from. a lawyer stealing M$10 in trust funds that were people's retirement funds is more harmful that stealing M$100 from First State Bank. stealing someone's retirement fund is up there with rape or serious assault imo.

An astute observation that needed to be voicced.


I also happen to be in this camp.