¶ … Unethical/Criminal Conduct following the Equities Market Crash 2000 to 2002 This paper is a discussion of the identification and analysis of unethical and criminal conduct following the equities market crash from 2000 to 2002. The paper begins with an Introduction to the problem in Chapter One that also contains the hypothesis for the paper, the definition of terms section, and other valuable information. This information sets up the rest of the paper and gives rise to the belief that there was a great deal of unethical and criminal conduct in this country following this event.

A review of the literature follows in Chapter Two where information available about the issue will be presented and discussed. At least 60 sources will be analyzed in order to receive a complete picture of the issue. Chapter Three will then set up the methodology for analyzing this literature and determining what, if any, decision can be reached about the validity of the hypothesis.

Chapter Four will present the qualitative findings that have been determined based on the literature review and analysis of the data, and Chapter Five will offer conclusions, recommendations, and a summary of information the collected information. It is important to conclude the study with this summary type of information and also to look toward the future of the equities market and what may happen to it.

THE IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF UNETHICAL AND CRIMINAL CONDUCT FOLLOWING THE EQUITIES MARKET CRASH FROM 2000 TO 2002

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem and Hypothesis

Between 2000 and 2002, the equities market crash had the potential to cause a great deal of criminal activity and unethical conduct by those that lost much of what they had. Whether this conduct actually took place will be the main focus of this paper. If these things did occur, identifying them and analyzing them will then become necessary. Conduct such as this, that involves the criminal and the unethical, is one of the main issues that can occur when there is a crash in an equities market or stock market.

Unfortunately, not all who engage in this type of behavior are discovered and prosecuted, and some that do get caught avoid it for years. This is a concern, and it is becoming increasingly more important to identify these deceptive individuals and ensure that they be stopped early on. To do this, the issue must be considered and studied, or important and necessary changes will not be made to existing systems that check for this kind of problem and work to stop it.

Some may feel that this type of criminal activity does not occur, but there is a concern that these people may be misinformed about what goes on when the equities market has difficulty. Instead, the belief of many is that equities market problems create the potential for much criminal activity and unethical conduct because many people feel that this type of behavior is the only way that they stand a chance of making back any of the money that they have lost.

Based on this understanding, it is believed that this type of activity does occur, and therefore the following hypothesis will apply to this study:

Unethical and criminal conduct is likely to occur, and presumably does occur after an equities market crash. Further, this type of behavior did occur between 2000 and 2002 when the equities market crashed.

This hypothesis has been presented based on the opinion that this type of unsavory behavior occurs more often than is easily realized, and it is only the individuals who get caught that make news and come to light in the media. There are likely others who get away with this behavior, and because the equities market is so big and the stakes are often very high, some feel as though they must recoup their losses, whatever the risk.

Equities trading is a large risk in and of itself, so the people that work in this type of market are already used to the idea of taking risks. Whether the risks are legal or illegal will depend on the type of person involved, and it is therefore quiet possible that this line becomes somewhat blurred for some individuals at various points in time. This is especially important when there is a fluctuation in the market that could indicate a downward turn.

Because of the concern that individuals might engage in this type of behavior, it is necessary to study the problems that come about when the equities...

To do this, the study must examine the literature that is presented in the following chapter and analyze it to determine whether this type of conduct does in fact take place. It is also important to discuss the specific types of unethical and criminal behaviors that surrounded the equities market crash between 2000 and 2002, as there are several activities that could be considered problematic.
Finding this information will help future researchers to continue the study into this issue, and will also help to show the extent of the problem and what was done to the individuals who had engaged in this behavior. A further purpose of this study is to determine why these individuals felt the need to engage in this type of behavior when they clearly had so much to lose if the authorities noticed their conduct.

A study of this kind has value for many individuals who wish to utilize it, but the largest purpose is simply to gain information about this issue so that more answers to questions about it can be obtained.

Studies such as this one allow for more research into areas that have previously been somewhat unexplored, and they also allow for new ideas that may shed light into concerns that have not previously been addressed thoroughly enough to satisfy the questions that they can bring about. It is because of this and other concerns that there is a pressing need for more information on this topic.

Reviewing the literature into an issue such as this and analyzing this literature in the hopes of understanding more about it will allow for further studies and the production of more and valuable information, which will in turn help to avoid problems such as this in the future. If it can be determined not only what kind of behavior these individuals engage in but what drives them to commit illegal acts, it is possible that ways can be found to build failsafes into various areas of the market.

By doing this, there may be fewer chances to involve themselves in illegal and unethical acts in the future. This will improve the state of the industry and prevent future criminal activities in the area of equities market difficulties.

Importance of the Study

This study has a great deal of importance for those that deal in the equities market and those that investigate it. Both of these groups, as well as researchers, will be affected by the information imparted here and in other studies of this kind. Those that work in the equities market can learn much from the mistakes of others, and it is important for them to be aware of these problems that others have been through so that they can be avoided in the future. It is not always the case that someone sets out to do something deliberately deceptive, although this also happens. Sometimes, there is a lack of understanding as to what is illegal and what is not, and these types of rules must be better understood.

Other times, there is no problem with illegal issues, but the unethical difficulties that these individuals face are problematic. This can result from making decisions that are inappropriate and unethical, and these types of decisions do not have to be illegal to cause difficulties for the individuals that make them. There are many things that can legally be done in the equities market that are unethical in some way, and although these individuals cannot be charged with any kind of crime for their unethical actions, they are often condemned by others for the way that they do business.

When markets crash, there is often much more of this type of activity because those that are aware of what they could lose are interested in saving what they can. Some will turn to illegal activities in the hopes that they can get away with it. Others will not be the types of individuals that will do this, or will not want to take that much of a risk, but that does not mean that they will not be interested in activities that others would not see as commendable.

Scope of the Study

The scope of the study is far-reaching and broad, as some of what applies to the equities market can also be…