Introduction
Financial crimes and problems remain highly relevant topics in the field of criminal justice due to their vast negative impact on the quality of life globally. Among them, embezzlement of public funds and unequal distribution of wealth are some of the most pressing issues. In the United States, despite relatively low levels of corruption, these problems are still prevalent. Ultimately, the current essay examines the problems of public funds embezzlement and unequal distribution of wealth and provides two solutions in the form of capital punishment and financial redistribution.
Embezzlement of Public Funds
Embezzlement of public funds occurs when people in power intentionally use organizational resources and money in their own interests. It is a relatively common type of fraud in the private sector, but it is particularly threatening when criminals utilize public funds to their benefit. In the United States, the government mitigates this issue via the Sarbanes-Oxley Act implemented in 2002 (Nazarova et al., 2020). This policy implies a preventative audit of public companies to ensure that they use their money in the interests of regular people and the government. Nevertheless, despite the efforts, embezzlement of public funds remains a relevant issue in the United States. The primary challenge with the criminal justice system in America is the length of time required to procure a prosecution, causing a delay in the dispensation of justice. Lastly, this issue is detrimental to society because public funds are meant for various projects to benefit the citizenry. These initiatives include education, healthcare, social services, security, investment, and trade. Embezzlement of this money makes it difficult for the government to fulfill its mandate to the people and leaves the citizens suffering.
Proposed Solution
The current paper proposes a radical solution by making the punishment for public funds embezzlement more rigorous. The United States utilizes capital punishment or the death penalty only in the most severe cases. However, several Asian countries implement this form of punishment when politicians or people in high positions of power are found guilty of stealing from the public (Wicaksono, 2022). The research proposes that this method can significantly reduce the level of public funds embezzlement in the country (Wicaksono, 2022). Nevertheless, it requires a thorough investigation to confirm the accusations and avoid unnecessary deaths. If suggested in the United States, the proposition is likely to take at least five years before it becomes debated and passed as law. Moreover, it contradicts some of the local State regulations that outlaw the usage of the death penalty in the United States.
The government should be involved in this process to ensure the enforcement of this rule and its passage as legislation in the first place. Congress ought to participate in the drafting and passing of this motion and its ascent into law by the president. The next step is empowering the judiciary by guaranteeing full independence to ensure they can dispense the law against influential individuals. The various independent institutions in the country can additionally benefit from adequate backing through finances. It would enable them to add to the voices that condemn public funds theft, ensuring better systems for the American people.
Potential Failures and Crime Theory
Potential failures with this law include failure of its legislation at the level of Congress. The people found culpable of embezzlement are primarily politicians, the same people entrusted with drafting laws of the land. It is doubtful they would oversee laws jeopardizing their lives without a massive push. Moreover, the death penalty is likely to cause chaos within the country due to its impact on high-profile individuals. The accused might threaten to blackmail the court officials, hindering them from making the ultimate decisions. Embezzlement of public funds directly relates to the Social Strain theory, which suggests that people might commit crimes to acquire a certain social status (Kolthoff, 2020). In the United States, wealth is the most recognized symbol of success, frequently making people commit crimes to gain more money (Kolthoff, 2020). According to the research, it occurs even when people already have sufficient funds for a living but are still pressured to acquire more wealth (Kolthoff, 2020). Hence, this theory explains why politicians might steal from public funds even if they are already rich.
Unequal Wealth Distribution
Unequal wealth distribution implies the drastic differences in wealth between the richest and poorest people in the country. This problem has partly been necessitated by the capitalist ideology which dominates the market. People accumulate wealth at the top of the pyramid at the expense of those in the lower section (An et al., 2022). Currently, the United States has the most acute wealth inequality among G7 developed countries, making it a central national problem (Schaeffer, 2020). People who struggle financially frequently have to work extra hours with meager pay to survive, while the wealthiest people have billions of dollars of net worth. This issue negatively affects society as the quality of life and the number of opportunities are significantly lower for people at the lower section of the financial pyramid.
Proposed Solution
The solution for the wealth crisis in the country requires the redistribution of wealth and property from the wealthy minority to the poor majority. This approach is critical to ensure that people on the lower end have sufficient resources for basic necessities, such as shelter and food (An et al., 2022). Government intervention is essential in changing the current system and making wealth distribution more equal and similar to other developed G7 countries that promote democracy and equality. The government can achieve wealth redistribution by introducing tax regulations and influencing the public perception of wealth status. Moreover, the voice of influential people such as the president and various cabinet officials is vital in guaranteeing the initiative’s success. The proposed solution does not break any rules, but it requires a radical shift in how the government perceives the wealthiest people in the country.
Potential Failures and Crime Theory
The initiative to redistribute wealth from the rich minority to the poor majority is a gradual process that may require many years to implement. It is a problematic issue due to the vast influence of the 0.1% wealthiest people on politics and public perception (An et al., 2022). Failures in this process might arise at the legislative stage, with various politicians potentially losing their political influence and personal wealth. It will result in a conflict of interest between the national objectives to reduce wealth inequality and the greed of individuals. As mentioned before, according to the Social Strain theory, many people want to acquire wealth not because they are poor but because they want to increase their social image. It is particularly relevant for the 0.1% richest people in the country who do not want to lose their status (An et al., 2022). It is unlikely that there will be chaos before a worthwhile change, but there will be a substantial backlash from the wealthiest individuals in the country.
Unequal wealth distribution can be explained by the Social Strain theory and the Conflict theory. While the former revolves around the social status of the wealthiest individuals, the Conflict theory explains the differences between the rich and the poor in general. The model states that each group has unique interests and usually perceives the gains of the opposition as personal loss (Kühne et al., 2019). It means that if the government implements additional taxes on wealth, the richest people will perceive it as a direct threat to their well-being, even though the quality of their lives will not worsen (Kühne et al., 2019). As a result, they will try to stop it by any means possible to preserve their money and status. According to the Conflict theory, this problem is a relevant issue that will most likely contribute to potential failures in wealth redistribution policies.
Conclusion
Embezzlement of public funds and unequal wealth distribution are relevant problems in the United States, which significantly decrease the quality of life of the vast majority of the population. The proposed solutions, such as capital punishment and wealth redistribution, might be highly effective, even though it will take years to implement them, and there are several side effects. The death penalty, in particular, is a radical measure that might prevent corruption and embezzlement but make people scared of the government. The two theories that explain these issues are the Social Strain and Conflict theories. They imply that people, especially in the United States, perceive wealth as an essential element of success and are ready to commit crimes to acquire it, even if it does not improve their quality of life. Moreover, the Conflict theory suggests that the richest people will perceive wealth redistribution as a direct threat and will put effort into stopping this change. Ultimately, for both solutions, the government needs to become more involved in the issues and focus on economic equality.
References
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Kolthoff, E. (2020). Criminological responses to corruption. In A. Graycar (Ed.), Handbook on corruption, ethics and integrity in public administration (pp. 434-448). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Kühne, O., Weber, F., & Berr, K. (2019). The productive potential and limits of landscape conflicts in light of Ralf Dahrendorf’s conflict theory. Società Mutamento Politica, 10(19), 77-90. Web.
Nazarova, K., Mysiuk, V., Gordopolov, V., Koval, V., & Danilevičienė, I. (2020). Preventional audit: Implementation of SOX control to prevent fraud.Verslas: Teorija ir praktika/Business: Theory and Practice, 21(1), 293-301. Web.
Schaeffer, K. (2020). 6 facts about economic inequality in the U.S. Pew Research Center. Web.
Wicaksono, B. S. (2022). The urgency of death penalty implementation for corruptors on corruption social assistance fund in Indonesia. Rechtenstudent Journal, 3(2), 147–159. Web.