Little Jail Time for White-Collar Crimes Reported

More than 80% of convicted white-collar criminals in 1983 were sentenced to little or no time behind bars, the government reported Sunday.

In a study of forgery, counterfeiting, fraud and embezzlement in eight states with more than one-third of the nation’s population, the Bureau of Justice Statistics said that, although 60% of those convicted of white-collar crimes were sentenced to prison terms, only 18% were sentenced to more than 12 months.

More than 40% of those convicted were given sentences of less than one year, and the study did not measure the amount of time the prisoners actually served. Actual prison time generally is shorter than the sentence imposed because of factors such as sentence reduction for good behavior.

In contrast, violent offenders received prison terms of more than a year 39% of the time, the study found. Property crime offenders received prison terms of longer than 12 months in 26% of the cases.

40% Not Imprisoned

Forty percent of convicted white-collar criminals were given probation or other non-prison penalties, the survey said.

Criminals committing property crimes such as burglary or car theft were given probation or other non-prison penalties in 35% of the cases.

The study tracked the disposition of nearly half a million state felony arrests but did not cover white-collar crimes involving federal laws such as price-fixing, which seldom result in prison time for those convicted.

According to the state study, 88% of those arrested for white-collar felonies were prosecuted, compared to 82% for violent crimes, 86% for property crimes and 81% for public order crimes such as disorderly conduct and drug and gun offenses.

Seventy-four percent of those prosecuted for white-collar felonies were convicted, compared to 66% for violent crimes, 76% for property crimes and 67% for public order crimes.