Full Answer Section

Sociological explanation:

One sociological explanation for Martha Stewart’s actions is that she was motivated by greed. She saw an opportunity to make a lot of money by selling her ImClone stock before the bad news was announced, and she took it.

Another sociological explanation is that Stewart was motivated by a desire to maintain her status and lifestyle. She was a very wealthy and successful woman, and she may have felt that she needed to do whatever it took to protect her wealth and status.

Factors that explain how Stewart was penalized:

Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison, five months of house arrest, and two years of probation. She was also fined $30 million.

Some of the factors that may have influenced Stewart’s penalty include:

The severity of the crime: Insider trading is a serious crime that can have a devastating impact on investors.
Stewart’s wealth and status: Stewart was a very wealthy and successful woman, which may have made her a target for law enforcement.
The public outcry: There was a lot of public outrage over Stewart’s crime, which may have put pressure on law enforcement to seek a harsh penalty.
Conclusion:

Martha Stewart’s case is a complex one that can be explained from a variety of sociological perspectives. It is important to remember that crime is a complex social phenomenon, and there is no single explanation for why people commit crimes.