Criminal Penalties Under the Sherman Act: A Study of Law and Economics

Abstract

This paper presents an empirical analysis of criminal antitrust prosecutions undertaken by the Department of Justice during the period 1955-1993. The authors report data on the number of criminal cases, the type of offense alleged, whether the defendants were individuals or firms, the position individual defendants held in their firm, the Department of Justice's won/lost record and the nature and amount of any sanctions imposed. A brief discussion of whether the reported sanctions have been adequate to promote efficient deterrence is also presented.