The crimes that cost society the most
Boom trials
The current high-profile courtroom dramas beg the question: Will prosecutions of white-collar crimes change the system?
Carolyn Said, Chronicle Staff Writer
… for many observers, the key question is whether the legal actions signal a change in attitudes and laws governing white-collar crime or whether the defendants are simply sacrificial lambs, being dispatched to assuage public indignation so business can carry on as usual. In many ways, it's too soon to tell. Yes, the cases represent a new wave of increased vigilance, but legal experts are divided about whether they represent a sustainable change or are just window dressing.
"I don't think a lot has changed, to tell the truth," said Gary Reback, an attorney with Carr & Ferrell in Palo Alto who currently represents PeopleSoft in its attempt to fend off Oracle's hostile takeover attempt. "There are certainly interests; large, important, powerful interests who are just as happy to let this blow over after a few people are indicted without really fundamental changes that might make a difference in terms of corporate governance."
