Two Months In Prison For Embezzling $100,000

[Henry]

SWANTON -- A Swanton bank teller was sentenced to two months in prison for embezzling more than $100,000.

Carol Rouse, 44, of Highgate Center pleaded guilty to stealing the money from the Swanton branch of the Franklin Lamoille Bank/TD Banknorth from about March 2001 to April 2006. Rouse was sentenced in U.S. District Court on April 23.

Rouse embezzled the money by inflating debit slips associated with the exchange of American currency for Canadian currency, federal prosecutors said.

The court ordered Rouse to pay $96,981.93 in restitution, of which she has already paid a portion, to the bank. After her prison term, Rouse will serve four months of home confinement with electronic monitoring to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

The above sentence seems kind of small, but for those of you that have lived here in town, you may remember a situation where a Town Official here embezzled quite a sum of money.  I lived in Fairfield and a town official there also embezzled quite a sum of money there also.  In the case here in Fairfax as was the case in Fairfield, the information did appear in the local newspapers, but nothing else was heard afterwards.  I am sure some private negotiations took place and the money was replaced, but there was no jail term and both individuals continued to live in the community as if nothing actually happened.

Bottom line of course, what would be accomplished by putting these people in jail for an extended period of time.  In those cases that were close to home, these people continued to live an exemplary life, unlike the lady up in the Bakersfield area who embezzled, then got another job involving money and embezzled again. 

[Chris Santee]

What would be accomplished is that maybe people wouldn't do it anymore.

[Loctavious]

True - lengthy prison terms would serve to deter others from doing it, but there's always someone who thinks they're smarter than management. 

A reason why they SHOULDN'T be put in prison for too long is to recoup losses.  It's liek folks who make mistakes ( either intentional or by accident ) on thier taxes.  If you put them in jail, then you're taking them away from any potential to pay what they should.  ( we're talking about anyone under 'wealthy' status)
So putting thes embezzlers in jail for too long would mean we don't get the money back at any significant pace.

Maybe some Community service where they HAVE to divulge what they did and who to regularly, might be a mor effective punishment.  I've always thought that Social Ridicule is one of the most powerful behavioral Modifiers out there ( although it can make a twisted person even more twisted)