As Good As Its People: on Crime

Jimmy Carter: Jails are filled with poor; focus on white-collar crime

The corporate criminal, the white-collar criminal, too often get off with a slap on the wrist. This only causes contempt for the whole concept of equal justice. White-collar crime costs this country at least $40 billion a year. Yet there hasn’t been a single felony indictment for price-fixing under Mr. Ford.

Jimmy Carter: Crime reflects a sickness in society

We can make our existing crime-fighting programs more efficient and effective. We can have a stronger economy, and more jobs for our people, and that will lessen crime.

I think our country’s leaders, beginning with the President, can set an example and set a tone that will increase respect for the law and increase the sense of national unity, and that can lessen crime in America.

Crime reflects sickness in a society. Working together, we can make ours a more healthy society, one in which we need not live our lives in fear. I intend, as President, to provide the leadership that will turn the tide against the scourge of crime.