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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 3 May 2023

Bhavna Mahadew

The lack of legal framework on corporate criminal liability (CCL) in Mauritius is a matter of concern with the growing number of corporate crimes. The purpose of the paper is…

Abstract

Purpose

The lack of legal framework on corporate criminal liability (CCL) in Mauritius is a matter of concern with the growing number of corporate crimes. The purpose of the paper is therefore to provide a critical overview of the existing framework on CCL in Mauritius with the aim of underlining its deficiencies and lacunas. As a consequence, an attempt is made to compare the Mauritian model with the French one, so that salient features and characteristics of the French model of CCL can be borrowed into the Mauritian legal framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts the black-letter approach and the comparative research methodology. The legislative framework of Mauritius on CCL will be compared to the related laws of France with the goal of drawing lessons and inspirations for Mauritius, given that the French model of CCL is well established and highly effective.

Findings

The mandatory application of the identification principle in CCL, inspired from the British common law, is a serious impediment towards successful criminal prosecution of companies responsible for criminal offences. In addition, the lack of clear legal provisions on substantive and procedural aspects of CCL is a matter of concern and demonstrates the dire need for legal amendments and action from the legislator as the paper discusses.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper will be among the very first one tackling this area of law from a comparative perspective. The issue of CCL has indeed receive very little academic attention and this paper will help in filling the literature gap on this matter. It will also help future research on the matter for students, academics and corporate law practitioners.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2000

Michael Levi

The salience of money laundering as a social and economic issue merits some modest scepticism. First, most crime is and will remain for the foreseeable future local and…

Abstract

The salience of money laundering as a social and economic issue merits some modest scepticism. First, most crime is and will remain for the foreseeable future local and ill‐organised. The only connection that most of the young people and adults who come before most judges most of the time have with international organised crime is the remote supply of the ganja that they smoke, and the fact that drugs — mostly heroin, cocaine and amphetamines — increase their rate of offending and make it harder for them to give up crime. Although there is room for debate about the proportionate and creative ways of dealing with drug use among the young, it remains the case that there is a heavy‐end crime problem with which judges, law officers and politicians have to deal. It is difficult to write rationally about trends in organised crime and about rational international responses to it. The only people who are really on top of this particular market are the successful criminals themselves, including the professionals — accountants and lawyers — who knowingly assist in laundering the proceeds of crime, and who are increasingly required by the front‐line criminals as our controls on cash deposits get tighter. Nevertheless, this paper discusses the relevance to money laundering and proceeds of crime of corporate criminal liability and analogous forms of imposing ‘due diligence’ penalties.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 3 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Article
Publication date: 7 October 2019

Herbert Kawadza

It is recognised that the mere proscription of corporate offences is not adequate to deter misconduct or engender compliance. There is a need for the enforcement of the rules…

Abstract

Purpose

It is recognised that the mere proscription of corporate offences is not adequate to deter misconduct or engender compliance. There is a need for the enforcement of the rules through robust culture-changing sanctions. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the inadequacies of criminal law liability in ensuring compliance with ethical corporate conduct in South Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is purely qualitative. For expository purposes, it draws from the Criminal Procedure Act, 51 of 1977 as well the corporate criminality enforcement trends and data from the National Prosecutions Agency’s annual reports to demonstrate that much as criminal liability is enshrined in a statute it has, however, not yielded the expected results. It situates the debate within the broader economic criminological scholarship.

Findings

This paper argues that even though the option of prosecuting corporations and directors is part of South African law, many corporate offences are not brought into the criminal justice system. Judging by its erratic imposition, criminal liability has failed to express the indignation and condemnation that are normally attached to criminal sanctions. Several reasons account for this. These include evidentiary, legal, technical and definitional complexities of some corporate offences, which lead to them being regarded as “unprosecutable crimes”. This has a negative impact on enforcement.

Originality/value

This paper is novel because it approaches the debate from a fresh perspective, economics and criminology. Not much scholarly attention has been devoted to analysing the efficacy of criminal sanctions in the South African context. This paper attempts to fill that gap.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 March 2021

Lilach Litor

This paper explores different approaches to regulating corporate social responsibility (CSR) patterns of adopting codes of conduct, and discusses the approach that courts should…

2452

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores different approaches to regulating corporate social responsibility (CSR) patterns of adopting codes of conduct, and discusses the approach that courts should embrace.

Design/methodology/approach

Case studies from various legal systems will be examined. The paper presents new typology relating to different patterns of the Corporate Social Performance (CSP) model, based on aspects of the CSR pyramid, namely, legislative CSR and ethical CSR. Legislative CSR includes adoption of thin codes which reflect compliance within current legal standards of the criminal code, while ethical CSR includes codes reflecting ethical norms and corporate social citizenship beyond mere compliance. The paper also includes the interplay of different patterns of CSR and three approaches to regulation regarding these patterns.

Findings

Both the Israeli negative CSR regulatory approach and the American legislative CSR regulatory approach present difficulties.

Originality/value

The paper introduces a theory for regulating CSR within criminal law, drawing on the pyramid of CSR. It presents an original discussion of distinct approaches to regulation of corporate liability, while further developing the institutional theory of CSR and the interplay of regulation and CSR. The paper suggests a novel solution regarding the regulation and acceptance of CSR: the granting of protection from criminal liability to corporations who adopt CSR.

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Supriyadi

The purpose of this paper is to examine the criteria of the provision on the corporation as the subject of crimes regulated in criminal legislation outside Indonesian Penal Code…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the criteria of the provision on the corporation as the subject of crimes regulated in criminal legislation outside Indonesian Penal Code (KUHP) in the past five years. The criteria will be used to explore the construction of corporate criminal responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

The method of the research is normative-legal study using the library research. The method of the examination is a qualitative-description. The data used are secondary data, including legislations, books, journals and other materials.

Findings

It is found that in the past five years, there are 25 criminal legislations outside KUHP which have the provision on corporation as the subject of crimes. In those 25 legislations, only four legislations which have the criteria of corporate criminal responsibility. In those legislation, it can be concluded that the construction of corporate criminal responsibility is based on identification and aggregation theory.

Originality/value

This research is novel in Indonesia. This research examines the specific articles of several legislations to deeply describe the corporate criminal responsibility.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 November 2022

Nur Yusliana Yusoff and Rusni Hassan

This paper aims to highlight provisions that may attract corporate criminal liability (CCL) in legislation and regulations enacted in Malaysia. Further, this paper identifies gaps…

1798

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to highlight provisions that may attract corporate criminal liability (CCL) in legislation and regulations enacted in Malaysia. Further, this paper identifies gaps or obstacles in the implementation of CCL in Islamic banks (IBs) in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts the qualitative methodology. More specifically, it uses normative legal research by focusing on primary and secondary data obtained from legislation, regulations, decided case laws, guidelines, law textbooks and bank annual reports in relation to CCL provisions. It also conducts semi-structured interviews with different categories of experts, including legal practitioners (lawyers), regulators from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and Securities Commission Malaysia, officers of the Attorney General's Chambers and officers from legal departments in IBs.

Findings

The results conclude that IBs should implement the law on CCL because they are considered corporations. It is also found that not all IBs complied with CCL provisions brought corporate offenders before the court.

Research limitations/implications

This research is restricted by its specialisation in CCL in IBs in Malaysia.

Practical implications

The CCL provision has to be implemented effectively by IBs to achieve the benefit. However, not all IBs implement CCL provision properly. The understanding created by the interview data illuminates the challenges in implementing CCL provisions. Thus, this paper seeks to change the approach in the implementation of CCL provisions by IBs in Malaysia.

Originality/value

The paper touches upon a new area, notably CCL in IBs, which is not well researched in past literature. Although there is a vast research on CCL, corporate crime in IBs in Malaysia is still an unexplored area. This study gives light on the implementation of CCL provisions in IBs.

Details

ISRA International Journal of Islamic Finance, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0128-1976

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Bryane Michael

– The purpose of this article is to assess the extent to which Hong Kong’s laws deter its companies from engaging in corruption and bribery abroad.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to assess the extent to which Hong Kong’s laws deter its companies from engaging in corruption and bribery abroad.

Design/methodology/approach

A mix of economics, public administration, management and legal analysis was used to assess weaknesses in Hong Kong’s laws governing the prohibition of bribe payments abroad.

Findings

Hong Kong does not explicitly criminalise corporate bribery abroad. Companies – as legal persons – can not be found guilty of corruption. It is argued that Hong Kong’s Legislative Council should amend various laws to modernise Hong Kong’s approach to tackling corruption committed by its companies abroad. The various approaches lawmakers can take towards assigning responsibility for corruption to companies are presented. The approaches that prosecutors at the Department of Justice can take to adopt prosecutorial methods like those used in other upper-income jurisdictions and the ways that Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) can assist in this work are also described.

Practical implications

This research has practical findings for Hong Kong’s policymakers, law firms and companies which operate in Hong Kong. For policymakers, we describe legal changes Hong Kong’s legislators will likely make in the years ahead and the preferred ways of engaging in such change. For law firms, we describe the legal changes coming to Hong Kong which legal advisors will need to advise their clients on. For companies, we describe changes that companies operating in Hong Kong will likely need to comply with in the future.

Social implications

This paper shows that when Hong Kong adopts best practice in the field of corporate criminalisation, Hong Kong’s role in “exporting” corruption will likely fall.

Originality/value

This article describes a set of legal changes which will change the way Hong Kong treats corruption. The literature tends to glamorise Hong Kong’s anti-corruption work. It is shown that its law falls far behind other jurisdictions, as well as how “treating companies like people” in the case of Hong Kong will likely change the way Hong Kong’s prosecutors think about crime and criminal perpetrators.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2021

Noura Taha Aloumi

This study aims to critically analyse corporate criminal liability for bribery in Kuwait, by focusing on laws and regulations as key problem-solving mechanisms. To that end, it…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to critically analyse corporate criminal liability for bribery in Kuwait, by focusing on laws and regulations as key problem-solving mechanisms. To that end, it identifies and assesses the existing anti-bribery laws in Kuwait, including a legal evaluation based on international standards. This study raises several issues concerning the lack of regulations of private bribery, facilitating payments and kickbacks in government contracts, and gifts and hospitalities in private sector, using UK Bribery Act 2010 (UK BA 2010) as a reference. This study showcases how these legal shortcomings are inconsistent with international treaties, and undermine efforts to tackle corruption. Emphasis has been put on criminalising private bribery, regulating the acceptance of hospitalities and gifts and abolishing the commission payment regime in public contracts in Kuwait.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a doctrinal focus, this paper examines case studies on curbing corporate bribery using both primary and secondary sources. Given the increasingly transitional and organised nature of business corruption, extravagant gifts and facilitating payments in public procurements globally, a comparison is drawn with the UK BA 2010.

Findings

Kuwait’s legal system does not criminalise bribery in private sector. Its anti-bribery laws are not at par with international standards. Therefore, the laws on disclosing commissions in public contracts must be abolished, and facilitating payments and hospitality payments in private sector must be regulated.

Originality/value

This study explores corporate criminal liability for bribery in Kuwait by investigating the weaknesses and legal shortcomings of the existing anti-bribery laws, and proposing reforms to counter these using UK BA 2010 as a guide.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2010

Marco Arnone and Leonardo Borlini

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical assessment and outline issues in criminal regulation relating to international anti‐money laundering (AML) programs.

3834

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical assessment and outline issues in criminal regulation relating to international anti‐money laundering (AML) programs.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first part, this paper outlines the serious threats posed by transnational laundering operations in the context of economic globalization, and calls for highly co‐ordinated international responses to such a crime. The second part of the paper centres on elements of international criminal regulation of ML.

Findings

The focus is on the phenomenological aspect of ML and highlights that to a large extent it is an economic issue. Economic analysis calls for an accurate legal response, with typical trade‐offs: it should deter criminals from laundering by increasing the costs for such illicit operations, calling for enhanced regulatory and enforcement activities; however, stronger enforcement yields increased costs and reduces privacy. These features have lately inspired the recent paradigm shift from a rule‐based regulatory framework to a risk‐based approach which still represents an extremely delicate regulatory. Both at the international level and within the single domestic legal system, AML law is typically characterised by a multidisciplinary approach combining the repressive profile with preventive mechanisms: an empirical evaluation of the International Monetary Fund‐World Bank AML program is presented, where these two aspects are assessed. The non‐criminal measures recently implemented under the auspices of the main inter‐governmental public organisations with competence in these fields seem to be consistent with the insights of economic analysis. However, some key criminal issues need to be better addressed.

Originality/value

The paper offers insights into international AML programs, focusing on criminal regulation.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 January 2020

Anastasia Suhartati Lukito

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the unexplained wealth inside the corporation and to initiate and apply unexplained wealth order in the Indonesian corporation based on the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the unexplained wealth inside the corporation and to initiate and apply unexplained wealth order in the Indonesian corporation based on the Indonesian legal system and prevailing laws. An effective tool needs to be implemented because of the facts that numerous corporate illegal activities lead to economic and financial crime. Meanwhile, there are difficulties to implement the corporate criminal liability. Non-conviction-based asset forfeiture will be a way out to deal with the current condition.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores and analyzes the Indonesian legal system, particularly a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture for corporate illegal activities. This paper is based on the research paper conducted with the legal normative approach.

Findings

Non-conviction-based asset forfeiture through unexplained wealth order will be an effective tool and a revolutionary pattern in the crime prevention perspective dealing with corporate crime. Corporate criminal liability in anti-corruption regime can be viewed from two perspectives by combining and integrating crime prevention approach as well as the repressive approach. The Indonesian Supreme Court Regulation number 13 of 2016 is a breakthrough in the criminal justice system to redesign case handling procedure toward corporate crime. It needs to be supported by precise asset forfeiture law. Furthermore it is necessity to strengthening and built corporations with moral and ethical business values.

Practical implications

This paper can be a source to explore the unexplained wealth that can occur in the corporation and the way to overcome it through unexplained wealth order and non-conviction-based asset forfeiture.

Originality/value

This paper contributes by initiating a non-conviction-based asset forfeiture, which is implementing the in rem proceeding, to make sure the crime does not pay and the victim and society suffer less because of the corporate crime.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

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