資源描述：
《In the United States》由會(huì)員上傳分享，免費(fèi)在線閱讀，更多相關(guān)內(nèi)容在教育資源-天天文庫(kù)。
1、IntheUnitedStates,thoseattitudesbegantosoftenduringthecourseofthenineteenthcenturywhencorporationsinAmericansocietyfirstbegantoblossomandtheirpotentialtodoharmfirstbecamesignificant.Bytheturnofthetwentiethcentury,astheIndustrialRevolutionfundamentallyalteredtheroleoflargecorporationsinAmericanlife,t
2、heneedforsomemechanismofregulatingandpunishingcorporatemalfeasancebecameallthemoreclear.MosthistoriesofAmericancorporatecriminalliabilitystartthere—theIndustrialRevolution,theriseoftheregulatorystate,andtheSupremeCourt’slandmark1909decisioninNewYorkCentral&HudsonRiverRailroadv.UnitedStates.InNewYork
3、Central,theCourtupheldtheconstitutionalityoftheElkinsAct,afederalstatuteregulatingrailwayratesthatimposedcriminalliabilityoncorporationsthatviolatedthestatute’smandates.Insweepinglanguage,theCourtrejectedthecorporation’scontentionthat,asanentity,itcouldnotcommitacrime,findingCongresshadexpansivepowe
4、rtoregulateinterstatecommercethatincludedtheauthoritytoimposecriminalsanctions.TheCourtwasuntroubledbythelegalfictionthatanentitycouldneithertakecriminalactionnorpossesscriminalintent.Instead,theCourtadoptedthecivillawdoctrineofrespondeatsuperior,holdingthatacorporationcouldconstitutionallybeconvict
5、edofacrimewhenoneofitsagentshadcommittedacriminalact(1)withinthescopeofhisorheremployment,and(2)forthebenefitofthecorporation.Thatstandardremainsgoodlawtothisday.BeginningthehistoryofAmericanentityliabilitywithNewYorkCentraliscertainlylogicalbecausethecaseestablishedtheauthorityofCongresstocriminali
6、zecorporateconduct.ButdoingsooverlooksaveryimportantmovementthatwasafootwellbeforeNewYorkCentral,onethatiscriticaltounderstandinghowandwhyentityliabilityexpandedsorapidlyinitswake.WhileNewYorkCentralinvolvedastatutethatexplicitlyextendedcriminalliabilitytocorporations,forsomefiftyyearsbeforeCongress
7、passedtheElkinsAct,prosecutorsacrossthecountryhadbeencreativelypursuingcriminalsanctionsagainstcorporationsbyapplyinggeneralcriminallaws—lawsthat,bytheirterms,didnotextendtocorporationsasentities—toco
