Why are sentences so light for financial crimes?
By saizo6
@saizo6 (2199)
United States
December 13, 2010 3:02am CST
Wow, I was really surprised to learn that people who are arrested for financial crimes don't spend as much time in prison as other criminals. I never even knew, guess you could learn something new and interesting from watching certain shows on TV. I was watching this show called American Greed: Scams and they were talking about counterfeiting. Apparently, the main culprit got 9 years for his crime while his two accomplices got less than a year. I was kind of shocked that they got off so easy considering these guys were responsible for producing over 7 millions dollars worth of fake counterfeit money. So, I was wondering if someone one here could tell me why the sentences are so light compared to other crimes?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
13 Dec 10
Hi Saizo,
I'm not sure but my guess would be that they are more effective out of prison rather than in it. I know a local woman that got caught embezzling thousands of dollars from the business that she worked for causing great hardship for the family that owned the business. She got very little jailtime. Instead she was ordered to hold a job when she got out and pay back the debt and additional fines for the trouble she caused their business. She had to sell all of her assets and give all of those proceeds to her victim also. If she were to sit in a prison cell, there would be no chance of the victim recovering any of the money lost.
@sumanadep (1228)
• India
13 Dec 10
I think that every government consider money to be something that has less effect on someone's life and is something that can be controlled/overcome.
