Ordinarily, criminal conduct that causes more harm should be punished more harshly, whether for reasons of retribution or deterrence. According to some recent estimates, the annual economic loss attributable to white collar crime is at least 20 times greater than the economic loss attributable to every other sort of crime. Yet despite the outsized economic effects of white collar misconduct, many commentators question whether it has victims, or whether it should count as a crime at all. This discussion group will weigh the relative moral, economic, and social impact of "White Collar" versus "Street" or violent crime, while addressing questions like: Are there victimless crimes? Is violent crime worse than financial crime? How should scarce law-enforcement resources be allocated?
