ABSTRACT
At the same time, the generally lenient treatment of high-status whitecollar offenders has been a topic that has aroused much controversy and research among criminologists and sociologists. For example, it has been argued that one important reason for white-collar and corporate crime is the leniency accorded to such criminals. Jeffrey Reiman’s (1995) pithy observation that “the rich get richer and the poor get prison” neatly summarizes the sociological contrast of the frequent indifferent response to white-collar crime with the harsh punitive treatment customarily accorded street criminals. This comparative leniency shown to white-collar offenders can be attributed to several factors related to their status and resources, as well as to the peculiar characteristics of their offenses. For one, the relatively high educational level and occupational prestige of many white-collar offenders can serve as a “status shield” that protects them from the harsh penalties applied with greater frequency to common criminals.
