Animal Cruelty Laws and Factory Farming

Michigan Law Review First Impressions, Vol. 106, No. 5, pp. 123-27, 2008

U of Michigan Law & Economics, Olin Working Paper No. 08-018

U of Michigan Public Law Working Paper No. 127

6 Pages Posted: 12 Oct 2008

See all articles by Joseph Vining

Joseph Vining

University of Michigan Law School

Date Written: October 10, 2008

Abstract

Should laws criminalizing animal abuse apply to animals raised for food? The answer is yes, and yes especially because farm animals are generally now under the control of business corporations. State and federal criminal law have proved critical in modifying corporate policy and practice in other areas, a current example being worker safety. Criminal liability today would include criminal liability of the corporate entity itself, and would thus also introduce the most effective regulation of individual handling of farm animals - regulation by the corporation, which has methods and resources public agencies cannot match.

Keywords: American Law Institute, Principles of Corporate Governance, corporations, corporate law, profit maximization, business schools, cost-benefit analysis, criminal law, corporate criminality, corporate mens rea, corporate sentencing, corporate probation, corporate compliance programs, good faith

JEL Classification: G18, G30, G38, G39, J50, K14, K42, N50, Q12

Suggested Citation

Vining, Joseph, Animal Cruelty Laws and Factory Farming (October 10, 2008). Michigan Law Review First Impressions, Vol. 106, No. 5, pp. 123-27, 2008, U of Michigan Law & Economics, Olin Working Paper No. 08-018, U of Michigan Public Law Working Paper No. 127, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1282251

Joseph Vining (Contact Author)

University of Michigan Law School ( email )

625 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1215
United States

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