Corporate Crime and Criminal Justice System Capacity: Government Response to Financial Institution Fraud

This article presents an historical overview of government efforts to reform the thrift banking industry, focusing on new mechanisms of enforcement and coordination designed to tighten interagency efforts. Two perspectives -- the loose coupling and system capacity models -- are applied to the concept of the control of white-collar crime. These notions are then specifically used to illustrate government response to the savings and loan crisis, using statements from government officials directly involved in the effort. Some of the issues raised in this analysis include the complexity and hidden nature of white-collar crimes and the difficulties in detecting and investigating them, the degree of coordination between regulatory and enforcement agencies, the adequacy of resources, and barriers to successful investigation and prosecution. 42 references