ABSTRACT
Radical or Marxist criminologists believe that government regulatory agencies are virtually powerless to control the illegal actions of corporations because corporate power in a capitalist society is so great. Government regulation of business is of two major types: the older regulatory agencies deal primarily with economic regulations; the more established agencies regulate health, safety, and environmental matters of the public at large and, more specifically, of consumers and employees. The decision to initiate an administrative, civil, or criminal action in response to a corporate violation is influenced by many legal and extra legal considerations. Criminal fines and civil and administrative penalties against corporations are forms of monetary penalties. Regulatory agencies in general do not adequately coordinate their operations and their enforcement actions. As a result, the agencies may be subjected to industry influence and pressure in both their legislative and their enforcement functions.
