Schools not teaching Ethics?

Good character can be defined as a composite of qualities, typically of moral excellence and firmness blended with resolution, self-discipline, high principles, and sound judgment. Our character establishes both our day-to-day demeanor and our destiny. Can these virtues be instilled through education? If so, can they build character?

Popular newspaper columnist Leonard Pitts writes that "reputation is about who you are when people are watching; character is about who you are when there is nobody in the room but you. Both matter, but of the two, character is far and away the most important. The former can induce others to think well of you, but only the latter allows you to think well of yourself." The ImClone scandal involving Martha Stewart is an example of how reputation and character are interrelated. Martha Stewart built an empire atop beautiful living. Yet, her involvement with ImClone and her conviction for making false statements to federal agents cast suspicion on her character and tainted her reputation. The evidence of her unethical behavior and dubious character dragged down the reputation of her business.

Overall can these crimes be the result of the educational system not preparing their students for the real world. It is very possible that schools and even more so colleges could have a role in white collar crime. It could be one long chain reaction that needs to be stopped somewhere. If the school has anything to do with it will these actions tend to continue or will they begin to disappear? Also if this is the case what can school do to help make sure they allow there student to build character and other quality traits that will make white collar crime begin to decline?

"White-Collar Crime Is the Result of Business Schools Not Teaching Ethics." White-Collar Crime. Ed. Kelly Wand. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 7 Dec. 2010.

Do White-Collar Criminals Do Less Time?

While the number of white-collar crimes is on the rise and increasingly in the headlines, the accounts of affluent offenders doing prison time are few and far between.

Because of spotty enforcement, white-collar criminals are far more likely to get away with their crimes than poor folks. And when they are caught, wealthy corporate executives can take refuge in their powerful friends and associates while availing themselves of high-priced lawyers, jury-selection experts and mitigation specialists. While most other people can not afford to get the best experts and lawyers to cover for them. The truth is, most corporate crooks get the best representation money can buy, and money, in the criminal justice system, can buy quite a bit. Unlike average criminal defendants, who have few reasonable expectations about where they will do their time, white-collar criminals usually employ consultants to help insure that the defendants serve their sentences under conditions of confinement that, while never pleasant, are nonetheless tolerable. And it works. Because so much of corporate crime is adjudicated in federal rather than state court, corporate criminals often serve their time under relatively cushy conditions of confinement. This seems to be the case for many people in high places and more of it seems to be bought to the public attention. But even with the publicity there are still people committing the crime and getting away with more then they should. You could even say while people are in jail for smaller things for a longer time these white-collar criminals use a "get out of jail free" card and end up having to do less time then they should. This is wrong and at this point larger consequences need to be set so this stops happening and people are brought to justice. Just because they have more money to buy better lawyers doesn't mean that they are any better than other criminals. Sooner or later this white-collar crime needs to stop.

Feige, David. "White-Collar Criminals Rarely Do Hard Prison Time." The Nation (23 June 2005). Rpt. in White-Collar Crime. Ed. Kelly Wand. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 9 Nov. 2010.

Breakdown

Through the history of time there has always been crime and corruption committed by office workers, executives, professionals, and politicians in connection with their jobs. First off the term white-collar refers to a person that usually wears dress clothing to work, like a suit and dress shirt.

People commit white-collar crimes to obtain—or to avoid the loss of—money, property, services, and personal or business advantage.

White-collar crime encompasses a variety of illegal activities—including bribery, forgery, investment schemes, and con games—designed to take the money of unsuspecting individuals. Many white-collar crimes involve fraud relating to credit cards, telemarketing, income taxes, banking, computers, or insurance policies. Embezzlement is the theft of money or property by a person who has been entrusted with it. Money laundering is the transfer or investment of money from illegal business dealings to conceal its source. Counterfeiting involves copying or imitating money and passing the copy to others as genuine.

"White-Collar Crime." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 8 Nov. 2010.