Vicarious Liability

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concept of holding a corporate officer or federal official liable for an environmental crime based on their position of authority over the violating activity is known as the Responsible Corporate Officer (RCO) doctrine. This is a vicarious criminal liability doctrine.

Corporate officers should be held criminally responsible for the actions of low-level employee's actions. Felony offenses involving the pollution of the environment that results directly in the sickness or death of members of the community should be patterned after the Responsible Corporate Officer doctrine. (RCO) The Responsible Corporate Officer doctrine ("RCO doctrine") is an exception to the usual requirements for a criminal prosecution. The RCO doctrine is a strict-liability theory used by the government to bring misdemeanor charges against officers and directors who fail to prevent or correct a corporation's misconduct. This doctrine was first implemented in healthcare violations. Ordinarily, criminal law ...

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