By Request...

[martin48]

Have there been cases where corporations have been held criminally liable for their actions? If not is there a legal reason why not?

In UK under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, only one successful prosecution and that was for a small company with one director. How well the Act will work for large companies with long chains of management (and deep pockets for lawyers' fees) no body knows.

http://solicitors.contactlaw.co.uk/c...on-991157.html

[Prospero]

Funny thing the law. The US Supreme Court ruled that Corporations are people in the eyes of the constitution (for the purposes of making donations to political parties) So if they are technically people, surely they can be prosecuted?

Put Exxon in jail.

[hippifried]

There's been a lot of convictions of corporations for felony crimes. It's almost always money crimes though. They're still conducting business as usual too, while the endless appeals process goes on forever. I would imagine Enron could have been convicted of multiple crimes if they hadn't dissolved into nothing due to lack of any tangible assets. Arthur Anderson got their conviction overturned, but I believe they're still winding down the operation. After so many huge failures, I can't see why anybody could still have confidence that they could do the job at all, let alone honestly.

Far too often, incorporation is just a dodge by the officers, who know they couldn't get away with their actions without the corporation to hide behind. Too many cowardly thieves. Maybe if some of these punks were left to the NY authorities, & tossed in Attica instead of Club Fed, it might give others pause. This shit's gotten out of hand. Standard market pressures can no longer regulate corporate business, if they ever could. But some kind of regulation is surely needed. To loosen corporate control of government (fascism) if nothing else. Well, unless you enjoy getting screwed every which way & saying "Yes Master, can I have some more?".

[Stavros]

Funny thing the law. The US Supreme Court ruled that Corporations are people in the eyes of the constitution (for the purposes of making donations to political parties) So if they are technically people, surely they can be prosecuted?

Put Exxon in jail.

Surely they can be prosecuted, if there has been a crime, and if there is enough evidence to take them to court. But going to court doesn't guarantee a conviction -and, incidentally, what does Put Exxon in Jail actually mean? Every Employee? The Board? What for? Is Jail in fact the most effective punishment?