Based on the documentary, INSIDE JOB by Charles Ferguson

1. The first part of the movie covers the Savings & Loan Crisis of the 1980's that arose after

deregulation of the Savings & Loan industry. Many of the actors in that crisis were criminally

prosecuted. Nevertheless, by the late 1990's to early 2000's the financial industry had engaged

in numerous activities that fall within the White-Collar Crime studies. Identify the names of

these companies and the activities they engaged in that may be considered white collar

Crimes.

2. The movie describes deregulatory policies that began in the early 1980's. Is there a need for

criminal prosecutions when there are regulatory agencies charged with oversight? Is

regulatory oversight an effective means to control financial fraud and other white collar

crimes? What are the challenges to effective regulatory oversight? Do deregulatory policies

suggest that oversight in the financial sector is unwarranted?

3. The movie characterizes the activities leading up to the financial crisis of 2008 as a "global Ponzi

scheme." Identify potential crimes that could be charged based on the described activity, and

who is eligible to be prosecuted for those crimesindividuals, corporations, or both.

4. If you were a government prosecutor, would you prosecute any of the above, identified in

question 3? What are the challenges to prosecution? In investigating the crimes, what tools

are available to the prosecutor to uncover fraudulent activity? Should the prosecutor use

subpoena power? Search warrants?

5.What defenses might be raised by defense counsel?

6. If government regulators do not step into stop misconduct, then is it appropriate to criminally

charge individuals who engage in that misconduct?