Study of the Enforcement of Regulatory Codes

Over the last 100 years the number of areas of social, economic and commercial activity, which have become subject to statutory intervention, has increased dramatically. The intervention has taken the form of codes of regulation, backed by criminal sanctions. By investigating the ways in which regulatory agencies in Scotland (other than the police) make use of the criminal law in enforcing codes of regulation, this book fills and important gap. The study is wide - ranging and examines such diverse topics as revenue collection, truancy, company registration and consumer protection. The authors show that there is a range of factors which shapes the enforcement agencies' response to unlawful conduct, including the development of policy, the levels at which the discretion is exercised and the relationship between regulator and the regulated. An understanding of these factors and of the way in which they influence the enforcement of the regulations of crucial importance to the agencies themselves and to all those concerned with the development of criminal justice policy. This book is essential reading for all those involved with the regulatory agencies and of great interest to the legal profession and to students of politics, law sociology, criminology, economics and public administration.