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Criminal prosecutors are getting some insights into the debate over how far people should go in enforcing environmental laws at a university symposium.
During a symposium at the University of Utah's School of Law, some argued federal law is not tough enough; others said the government is chipping away at a business' civil rights.
Professor Robert Adler says federal laws have been on the books for decades, but there's still controversy over the penalties. "This is not our normal notion of a criminal -- someone who has murdered someone, someone who has robbed someone -- and yet they're committing offenses that might kill people," he said.
Adler says there's a trend toward harsher prosecutions and penalties. But even at that, he says it's rare for an environmental criminal to serve more than a few months in prison.
Alder says it's cyclical, and it will be interesting to see what happens now with a new president.
E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com
