Final answer:
The DOJ suggests more c) lenient treatment for executives with company ethics programs. This approach is part of broader discussions on the fairness and efficacy of punishment in the criminal justice system, including debates on the death penalty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Department of Justice established sentencing guidelines that suggest more lenient treatment for convicted executives if their companies have ethics programs.
The logic behind this is that having an ethics program may indicate the company's commitment to lawful and ethical business practices, which could mitigate the behavior of the convicted executives.
However, this also ties into larger debates within the criminal justice system about the fairness of sentences, the effectiveness of different types of punishment.
And the role of rehabilitation versus deterrence -- issues that closely relate to discussions about the use of the death penalty and sentencing for minors.