Is Corporate Fraud Really Worse than Rape?
Two Tyco execs were just sentenced to 25 years for their corruption and embezzlement of corporate funds. Ebbers, for his WorldCom fraud also got 25 years. The sentence calls to mind the magnitude of corporate criminals compared to other more heinous crimes.
Take the case of Joesph Edward Duncan III who raped and tortured a 14 year old boy at gunpoint and received a 20 year sentence, 5 years shorter than the Tyco execs. How about John Wesley, who after being convicted in 2004 for child molestation while out on probation is back in jail for harassing a 7 and 8 year old girl. Or Mary Letourneau who served only a 7 year sentence for raping a 13 year-old child while she was his teacher. Can someone explain the rationale for sentencing someone who defrauded stock holders harsher than rapists? Is there anyone out there who would care to argue that corporate corruption is worse than rape?
There are those that think even life without parole is too much for murders, rapists and the like, but no punishment seems to be enough for corporate criminals. Why is this?
It is part of the rich-poor class warfare stoked by the left. If you are rich, you should be punished. Instead of simply having more modest sentences with hefty restitution and fines, they get sentences harder than the ACLU would ever stand for a rapist to be sentenced for.
Ha!
Thieves are thieves, whether they steal with a gun or a briefcase. It’s just that Ebbers and his ilk rob a lot more people — thousands or millions of them.
Instead of comparing them to rapists, compare them to car thieves. You’ll see that corporate criminals who ruin hundreds or thousands of lives get off easier than someone who steals an insured used car.
You see, this country puts a greater value on punishing people who take property than on people who rape and murder.
Comment by Denny Hix | September 19, 2005
Actually, you will get more time for stealing a radio or items out of a car than you will for stealing the car, but the point is made. Compare the bank robber to the corporate criminal. What is really criminal is that this moron Bambieneck considers himself an academic. He’s an hackademic.
RESPONSE:
I could dig up statistics, but since you didn’t bother to challenge my facts with anything but ad hominems, why bother.
Comment by Private Joker | September 19, 2005
25 years is fair if you consider each victim as a separate count. Moreover, at this level of crime, 25 years is a great deterrent for future potential white-collar criminals.
This comparison just reveals how soft we are on rapists. Send them away for life.
RESPONSE:
That’s a position, we should at least have a reasonable scale of crimes, and what we have isn’t it.
Comment by Russ | September 19, 2005
corporate frauds effect a lot of people and probably a whole nation’s economy, rapists effect mostly small numbers of people and hardly a nation’s economy.
There, you have my opinion on this.
Comment by Eko | September 19, 2005
Well, in my humble opinion, as bad as stealing is, it isn’t anywhere near the level of rape. I’m not for letting anyone off the hook, but I don’t think JCB is arguing in favor of stealing, just comparing the punishment levels.
And I do agree, we are waaaaay too soft on rapists. In my opinion, child rapists should just be shot in the gut, and hung by their balls to bleed to death. As for rape in general, it should at least be punishable with 50 years. A repeat offense, should be life, and three times your out, zappo chair. However, thats just my opinion.
Comment by Jay | September 19, 2005
The difference is simple, to knowledgble people, at least those who passed a Constitution test in high school.
The Tyco execs were prosecuted in Federal Court.
Rapists and murderers are prosecuted in state courts.
They are different systems, as they should. The different states have rights, as does the Federal government. It is not “rich-poor class warfare stoked by the left.”
That is just plain conspiratorial nonsense either from ignorance or designed to enflame passions. It is not a reasoned statement.
Comment by B-Man | September 19, 2005
I definately do not agree with our systems of justice in the United States. A lot of good points have been brought up in this post and its comments. The question is not if the system is broke but how do we repair the dammage or do we just junk it and start again from scratch. The ideal of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but what is the value of violotiton of your right to liberty by rape and and your right to life by murder.
Comment by Kerwin | September 20, 2005
The number of people affected hardly matters when making this comparison. Honestly, some people are so cold to the subject of rape, untill their wife, or mother, or sister, or even themselves are the victim. A single rape can drive a hard working, good person who contribute to society to the brink of insanity, it’s a barbaric, primitive act that couldn’t possibly have too harsh a punishment. Yes, this country is definately too easy on rapists.
Comment by Adrius | March 14, 2006