Final answer:
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) strengthened penalties for corporate fraud, made fraudulent financial reporting a criminal offense, and required greater transparency. However, it does not discourage the creation of ethical and legal compliance programs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was a response to major accounting scandals and aimed to increase confidence in financial information provided by public corporations. The act strengthened penalties for corporate fraud, made fraudulent financial reporting a criminal offense, and required greater transparency in financial reporting. However, one provision not included in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is discouraging the creation of ethical and legal compliance programs.