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Police Corruption: A Perspective on its Nature and Control

Police corruption is an international problem that poses challenges to good governance and the fight against crime, violence and effective protection of property. The police force is one of the most important institutions in a society that is entrusted with upholding law and order and protecting property. When police are linked with corruption, the trust for the institution is undermined and effective fight against organized crime, human trafficking, arms smuggling, and protection of individual life and property is jeopardized. This article examines the causes and impacts of police corruption and means and ways of curbing it.

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Agio Pereira

A. A. Ibrahim, Ph.D.

Corruption is endemic social problem in Nigerian society; it is particularly objectionable in Nigeria Police Force. This study x-ray prevalence and consequences of corruption in Nigeria Police Force. It predominantly utilized secondary data. This study has identified that, in Nigeria, the police force has become an epitome of all multi corrupt and fraudulent schemes which constitute a stumbling block to the effective administration of justice and efficient maintenance of law and order in Nigeria and have soiled the image of the force. Thus, the study recommends fundamental restructuring, reorganization, total war against police graft to re-invent a new image for the police and professionalization through further training and re-education in the force which would hopefully launch the Nigerian Police Force on the positive side of history.

Dealing With Police Corruption

Rachel M. Laisne

Police corruption in the United States persists ever more today as a considerable criminal justice issue and can involve the acceptance of gratuities to the more serious form involving brutality and physical abuse. Levels of corruption within a police force vary from only a few unsavory officers to departments that experience systematic corruption that pervades the entire department. This paper defines police corruption, citing examples of such and discusses theories to explain said corruption. This paper will look at internal and external corruption forces at work both internally and externally that promote corruption within. Lastly, this paper will look at the relevance of policy pertinent to police corruption.

Acta Academica

Bernadine Benson

Abstract: Since the closure of the SAPS anticorruption unit in 2003, SAPS management have yet to operationalise a plan to address police corruption. The past decade has produced a substantial amount of research on the perceptions and likely causes of and preventive strategies for ...

This paper discusses individual perceptions of police corruption as well as the possible causes thereof. The research was undertaken at three different police stations, namely Pretoria-Moot, Garsfontein, and Mamelodi police stations in Pretoria. A predominantly quantitative approach was used during which a structured questionnaire was developed with closed ended questions and an open ended section for general comments Subsequently, statements based on the aforementioned facets were prepared and presented to the respondents with the aim of obtaining the perceptions of the civilians (Administration clerks and typists) and police officials (uniformed members and detectives). The findings will reveal what the respondents perceived as causative factors contributing to corruption in the SAPS. The recommendations are based on the findings and conclusions drawn from the research.

Since the closure of the SAPS anti-corruption unit in 2003, SAPS management have yet to operationalise a plan to address police corruption. The past decade has produced a substantial amount of research on the perceptions and likely causes of and preventive strategies for police corruption. This article compares findings of research projects undertaken in Gauteng between 2004 and 2009 in order to identify commonalities, differences and potential strategic gaps. Findings showed similarities in perception regarding corruption and a ‘code of silence’ among police officials, some doubt regarding the rules and regulations within the SAPS as well as likely causes of and preventive measures for corruption.

30 YEARS OF INDEPENDENT MACEDONIAN STATE

gojko setka

Corruption is present in all spheres of society and it is a part of social development throughout history. The most dangerous corruption is performed by the members of higher layers of society. It is equally dangerous in economic and non-economic activities, but it seems more dangerous for a society when situated in a non-economic environment. Any social activity with corruptive behavior brings numerous negativities. It may be the most problematic when expressed in police activities, because, in such cases, it stimulates corruptive activities in other areas of society as well. Keywords: corruption, non-economic activity, police, economic crime, prevention, repression.

Shiva K Dhungana

Samuel Oanea

Policing is a global practice, underpinned by legitimacy, law and public policy. Yet it is not transparent and it is not the same everywhere. It is supported by and reproduced through cultures of policing. These ‘cultures’ may be effective in helping the police to ‘do the job’ but can also be damaging, perpetuating negative stereotypes, condoning bad practice that may lead to miscarriages of justice, and covering up corruption. I

Essay on Police Corruption

The primary objectives of police are to honor and safeguard property and life, protect the rights and freedoms of every person in the jurisdiction of the state, and maintain security and peace. To attain the goals, the police must interact with the observers and society to accomplish law as stated by the constitution of the United States of America. The interaction between the police and society should be guided by professional and ethical principles that promote the effective development of police work. However, police face a challenge in upholding commitment and integrity to maintain the credibility deposited by the citizens. They eventually violate work ethics, which negatively affects the public perception of security. Police participation in corruption affects their image and loses citizens” trust in their duties.

Police corruption is the primary threat to security organizations since it relates to work ethics. The root of police corruption is that individuals or organizations bribe the police to work in their favor in secrecy (Rosen & Kassab, 2019). These acts create a feeling of fear and insecurity among citizens and disrupt the moral principles and the institutional image of the police. Police corruption affects individual rights, public order, and crime control.

Effects of police corruption on individual rights and due process

According to the Human Rights Committee, it is the right of every individual to be treated equally without discrimination (Tankebe, 2010). In a court of law, the defendant has the right to prove innocence through a criminal trial and due prose. However, when police corruption is involved, individual law is violated, and due process is interrupted to favor the corrupt. Police corruption intrinsically excludes, distinguishes, and restricts fairness and equality. It nullifies and impairs the equal recognition exercise and enjoyment of human rights (Tankebe, 2010).

The right to be treated equally is among the significant human rights in all human rights treaties. Despite your race, ethnicity, sex, or gender, everyone should be treated equally by the state. Being corrupt is discriminatory and against the set laws and work ethics of police. Being corrupt police nullifies and impairs all people’s enjoyment, recognition, and exercise on an equal and fair footing of individual rights and freedom (Schmalleger, 2010). Therefore, it is considered an abuse of power for personal gain and to violate the law and judge in favor of the corrupt.

For instance, when the police are bribed to cover a murder case for an individual, the solid, legally obtained evidence to prove someone was killed in cold blood is likely to disappear in favor of the corrupt person, mostly the suspect. When such incidents happen, someone’s right to a fair trial and the rule of law is violated. The effects of breaching such rights are particularly grave when the target individual comes from a marginalized group such as irregular immigrants, indigenous groups, social minorities, or sexual minorities (Tankebe, 2010). The due process will have been disrupted, and faulty judgment will be made in favor of the guilty. An innocent person is likely to go to jail and suffer disproportionately from such incidences of human rights violations because their position in the corrupt society makes them vulnerable targets of corruption, and they cannot afford the cost of bribing.

Effects of police corruption on public order and crime control

The impacts of police corruption on public order and crime control are far-reaching. Having a corrupt police department compromises law’s order and basic function, making the punishment and prevention of law violation and human rights challenging to the state (Schmalleger, 2010). Corrupt police cause public mistrust of the police, making it hard to be trusted by the public and complex for them to perform their duties effectively, preventing crimes and offering protection to human rights. The institutional legitimacy and integrity of the police department are also at stake when the policing system becomes corrupt (Schmalleger, 2010). Therefore, for the public to respect the law and honor police services, there needs to be profound confidence that the police are following the law and that, whenever applying the law, they treat everyone equally as per the law and the demands of their work ethics. Failure to adhere to the law and participating in corruption will cause an increase in crime rates and weaken the ethical standards of the community and policing system. Suppose the public will perceive the policing system as the one breaking the law, and they are benefiting from the corrupt acts (Schmalleger, 2010). In that case, they are likely to lower their moral standards and be more willing to participate in criminal behaviors.

The quality of police service offered to society is also directly proportional to the number of street crimes. A corrupt police officer is equal to an absent police officer from work (Bayley & Perito, 2011). The quality of services offered by corrupt police officers is poor. A corrupt officer works for money, not to honor the work ethics and duty. Therefore, whenever a crime happens, and they are bribed, they will directly or indirectly serve in favor of those who have given a bribe. They will subtract evidence from the crime scene and omit critical information for the prosecution of the offender. Such actions give criminals the freedom to commit more crimes as long as they have enough resources to bribe the police and serve in their favor. Corrupt police will bargain with criminals, accept gratuities, take kickbacks, and fix traffic tickets to permit vices such as prostitution, gambling, illegal drinking, and the use of drugs in society (Rosen & Kassab, 2019). Such actions will cause an increase in crime rates within society and undermine public confidence in the police, harm police morale, undermine police discipline, and destroy respect for the law (Schmalleger, 2010). Therefore, an increase in police corruption increases the rate of crimes.

Controlling police corruption

Several analysts have warned that despite the many strategies used to curb police corruption, nothing has proven to be effective enough to curb police corruption (Rosen & Kassab, 2019). Police corruption is a complex problem in the United States, and therefore, it needs multi-faceted solutions. Although not all police are corrupt, most of them are corrupt. Therefore, most of these strategies for controlling police corruption should start with the social and political realities and the characteristic of the local police instead of implementing a “one size fits all” approach (Schmalleger, 2010). Strategies such as political and leadership will can play a significant role in eradicating police corruption. Although the political will is not hundred percent perfect, it is necessary to make a struggle to eradicate some police behaviors. It is a long-term approach that can significantly help contain and reduce corruption among police. According to Punch (2000), leadership and political will can be a successful struggle in eradicating some instances of police misconduct since it is an ongoing approach. Establishing a political will is a reliable strategy in police reforms since fighting corruption may challenge powerful vested interests that are likely to resist reforms. The political will strategy has proven to be reliable in Hong Kong and Singapore due to the strong political will of their leaders in reducing police corruption.

Article 18 of the United States Constitution states that public servants are responsible for any break of law or breach of the constitution if they ignore their duty or overstep their function (Punch, 2000). Similarly, the current Judicial Code states that every public servant who, in their line of duty, discovers that a crime has been committed in their area of operation they are supposed to provide every relevant data that is denounced and conducive to the appropriate authority, for the prosecution of the offender(s) (Punch, 2000). Police are this category of public servants, and therefore, they are expected to report to the corresponding authority or superiors any information regarding lawbreakers. They should also report their workmates who participate in a criminal offense or violate any of the provisions in the Code of Ethics.

Legislators should also reevaluate laws that create loopholes for police misconduct. The reassessments should be based on the recognition that the primary portion of police misconduct is promoted by laws that illegalize prostitution, the use of illegal drugs, and gambling (Punch, 2000). Therefore, legislators should decriminalize victimless crimes by legalizing and regulating them. Police corruption is a crime. Accordingly, corrupt police officers should be prosecuted. The United States government should promote the anti-corruption campaign through a culture of transparency and integrity against corruption in the public sector.

Police should adhere to their duties of maintaining law and order and stop accepting bribes and rewards regarding how they will operate. They should always adhere to the Code of Ethics and work according to what has been established by law. Any police misconduct should be met with strict punishment to enhance the making of objective decisions based on the code of conduct, ethics, and law.

Bayley, D. H., & Perito, R. (2011). Police Corruption : U.S. Institute of Peace.

Punch, M. (2000). Police corruption and its prevention. European journal on criminal policy and research, 8(3), 301-324.

Rosen, J. D., & Kassab, H. S. (2019). The fragile States, Corruption, and Crime. In Drugs, Gangs, and Violence (pp. 37-56). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Schmalleger, F. (2010). Criminal justice: A brief introduction . Pearson/Prentice Hall

Tankebe, J. (2010). Public confidence in the police: Testing the effects of public experiences of police corruption in the U.S. The British Journal of Criminology , 50(2), 296-319.

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Methods for Ensuring Police Integrity: A Comparative Analysis

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Leslie Holmes

Part of the book series: Political Corruption and Governance ((PCG))

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Police integrity matters. 1 If law enforcement officers break or bend the rules to their own advantage, there are numerous negative ramifications. One is a series of security-related aspects — for the state, for society, and for the international community. A prime example of how police misconduct can constitute a security issue is that officers sometimes collude with organized crime groups in drug, arms, and human trafficking, which can be either domestic or transnational. There have also been claims that police (and border guard) collusion with terrorists was an aspect of the 2004 Beslan siege in southern Russia. A second negative effect is on crime solving rates. As David Bayley (1994: 7–8) says,

the critical ingredient in solving crimes is whether the public — victims and witnesses — provide information that helps police identify the suspect … On their own, police are relatively helpless, regardless of the resources they devote to criminal investigation.

Corruption among police officers can reduce public trust and confidence in law enforcement, increasing the distance between the police and the public and hence the willingness of citizens to assist the police, with negative knockon effects for crime rates. Leading on from this, police misconduct can undermine the legitimacy of law enforcement, and even of the state. In many transition countries, where relatively

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Holmes, L. (2015). Methods for Ensuring Police Integrity: A Comparative Analysis. In: Hardi, P., Heywood, P.M., Torsello, D. (eds) Debates of Corruption and Integrity. Political Corruption and Governance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137427649_5

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Corruption: A Very Short Introduction

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Corruption is one of the biggest global issues, ahead of extreme poverty, unemployment, the rising cost of food and energy, climate change, and terrorism. It is thought to be one of the principal causes of poverty around the globe. Its significance in the contemporary world cannot be overestimated. Corruption: A Very Short Introduction notes that corruption is as old as humanity itself, and then considers why the international community has only highlighted it as a problem in the past two decades. It explores the phenomenon from several different perspectives, from the cultural differences affecting how corruption is defined, its impact, its various causes, and the possible remedies.

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Corruption in Public Administration

Introduction, background on the issue, presentation of the importance of the issue, discussion and recommendation for the solution.

The research paper identifies the problem of corruption in public administration. Meanwhile, it initially establishes the background of the emergence of corruption in a historical retrospective. Then the key factors of corruption in public administration and its negative consequences are explored. Special attention is devoted to lobbyism, public procurement, medicine, education, and military financing. Moreover, recommendations are also made to eradicate corrupt schemes, such as expanded penalties and registration of funding from third parties. It is also the implementation of electronic tenders and procurements and increased involvement of the societal and interested organizations to investigate corruption cases. Therefore, the study’s general objective is to explain the importance of this problem in the public administration sector and to provide solutions.

Corruption is a serious threat to the rule of law, democracy, and human rights and is a fundamental problem in public administration. This is because there is not a single country that is not affected by corruption. The corrupt misuse of public office undermines people’s trust in government and institutions and makes public policies less effective and fair. It also robs taxpayers of funds that could have been used to build schools, roads, and hospitals. Meanwhile, the political will to construct solid and transparent institutions has the potential to reverse the wave of corruption. Thus, the origins of corruption in the U.S., the key challenges, and methods to combat it should be examined.

Corruption has been a harmful phenomenon since the first civilizations, and written sources emerged. Aristotle argued, “the most critical point in any state system is to organize affairs in such a way that officials cannot profit” (Peters, 2018, p. 54). Obviously, this issue has always concerned modern people. The young American state was no exception, despite the founding fathers’ dreams to create a model republic. During the presidency of Jackson, corruption became a permanent topic of partisan accusations (Peters, 2018). However, a significant increase in this phenomenon occurred in the 1850s for several reasons. The annexation of Texas and the speculative frenzy around Texas securities, the active sale of public fund lands in the West, and the booming railroad construction are one of them. There was also a struggle to expand the territory of slavery by pushing through Congress new compromise laws of 1850 and 1854, accompanied by the pursuit of profits through illegal speculation (Peters, 2018). These new phenomena of American life became a breeding ground for corruption at all levels, from the regional to the national.

The situation was complicated by the entrenched practice of distributing government positions and replacing almost all civil servants after the next presidential or local elections (spoils system). The electoral chase transformed into numerous irregularities during election campaigns and the elections themselves (Peters, 2018, p. 32). Whitman correctly criticized bossism, corruption, and political party intrigue in the nomination of presidential candidates. With the election of Democrat James Buchanan to the presidency in 1856, corruption scandals escalated. Members of the administration were named “buccaneers” by contemporaries for their corruptness (Peters, 2018, p. 64). John Floyd, Secretary of War, Isaac Tosey, Secretary of the Navy, and Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury, were all implicated in illegal transactions. A considerable number of revelatory articles and appeals to fight corruption appeared on the pages of newspapers.

Ordinary Americans increasingly focused their hopes on liberating corruption and solving other problems on the Republican presidential candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Indeed, corruption was not the main and only issue for the country. Nevertheless, press-fueled corruption scandals shaped public opinion in both South and North, which could not but affect the bitterness of the Civil War of 1860-1865 (Peters, 2018). Thus, a study of corruption in U.S. history provides an opportunity to reflect on a number of lessons important to any democracy today. They are that corruption cases should not be silenced but rather subjected to the rigorous judgment of public opinion (Peters, 2018). In the U.S., broad openness and freedom of the press, civil society, political opposition, and mechanisms of public and legislative control provide a real opportunity to overcome corruption.

The most entrenched, already historically global problem is corruption. According to research, in 2015, three in four Americans (75%) perceived corruption as widespread in government (Campos & Giovannoni, 2017, p. 917). In addition, this survey does not consider their personal attitudes toward state and local government. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking of countries, the U.S. scored 18th in 2016, along with Hong Kong and Ireland, with a mark of 74 (Campos & Giovannoni, 2017, p. 919). That is, according to this index, corruption in the U.S. is insignificant, which contradicts the opinion of Americans themselves, who consider corruption the second most important problem in the U.S., immediately after unemployment. One of the most common forms of corruption in the United States is lobbyism.

The lobbying technology that emerged from the English Parliament’s backstage has become extremely popular in the USA. The first amendment to the Constitution of the USA guarantees the right to freedom of speech and the possibility to address Congress. It was adopted in 1787 and is still the instrument of intervention of big corporations in the law-making processes and the legal guarantee of lobbyist manipulation in the USA (Campos & Giovannoni, 2017, p. 919). According to Sunlight Foundation research, U.S. corporations that invest in lobbying pay proportionately fewer taxes than those that do not contribute to lobbyists.

In the U.S., lobbyists designate themselves in the congressional register and do not hide the amount and people who pay them. An example of the intertwining of political and business interests is the figure of Ahmed Chalabi, head of the Iraqi National Congress, who, in 1998, promoted the Iraqi Liberation Act and lobbied the U.S. government to overthrow Saddam Hussein (Gokcekus & Sonan, 2017). The lobbying company Black, Kelly, Scruggs & Healey, a subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller and a P.R. tool of the U.S. Republican Party, became involved in the process. This activity considered the interests of American oil companies and the military-industrial groups (Gokcekus & Sonan, 2017). Therefore, lobbyism in the USA is a special form of corruption that operates within the law.

It is significant to mention that the U.S. government and its core institutions need to restore citizens’ trust in their performance. A new Transparency International survey, the U.S. Corruption Barometer, conducted in 2017 indicates that 44% of Americans consider corruption to be prevalent in the White House, compared to 36% in 2016 (Goldberg, 2018, p. 197). Meanwhile, about a third of African Americans surveyed believe the police are corrupt. Such assessments indicate that citizens are more critical of the fight against corruption in the public sector. Nearly 7 out of 10 people in the polls noted that the government’s efforts were minimal (Goldberg, 2018, p. 198). Hence, this demonstrates the distrust of U.S. citizens in public administration.

Data from Surveys on Confidence in Government

The significance of this problem also depends on the fact that corruption manifests itself in different ways in various areas of the public sector. For example, corruption schemes in the security and defense spheres may include patronage and bribes to ensure the purchase of military equipment from a certain company (Liu et al., 2017). Thus, the negative influence of this will be directed at the military, which means that soldiers may receive substandard food, clothing, or equipment. Another example of corruption in public administration can be noticed in health care. This can refer to kickbacks that patients have to pay to their doctors or the misuse of health care funds by civil servants and physicians.

In other words, confidence between patients and doctors disappears, and some groups cannot receive quality care due to a lack of funds. In education, corruption occurs when teachers demand bribes from their students during exams or modules (Liu et al., 2017). The public damage is that the overall quality of education is deteriorating. Common corruption schemes in the police and judicial system include manipulating cases and evidence by the police. Additionally, judicial decisions made to satisfy a privileged party are one manifestation of public corruption (Liu et al., 2017). All these corrupt schemes in government agencies lead to people’s frustration, distinction, and conflict.

It is significant to remark that the fight against corruption is constantly discussed at the highest levels of government. The reduction of corruption schemes in public administration is facilitated by the fact that in the U.S., there is virtually no immunity for officials (Andersson & Anechiarico, 2019). Any official, including the president, members of Congress, and senators, can be criminally prosecuted, albeit especially after removal from office. Thus, it is essential to promote the activities of a number of non-governmental organizations, such as Judicial Watch, Global Integrity, Projection on Government Oversight, and the Government Accountability Project (Andersson & Anechiarico, 2019). Accordingly, the organizations monitor donations to the election campaigns of politicians. Thus, they can report on what interests and spheres of influence certain politicians may have lobbied for.

The second most fundamental area of anti-corruption strategy in the U.S. is preventing corruption in the civil service. It is based on the introduction of the so-called “administrative morality,” which represents ethical and disciplinary norms; as a result, it has to be enhanced (Ceschel et al., 2022). The enforcement of these regulations is monitored by specially appointed persons in any government office or department. However, such verification takes a long time, and the fact that civil servants verify the integrity of other public servants may lead to increased corruption in government. Accordingly, it is crucial to involve ordinary citizens in such commissions and departments for them to assess possible violations of laws objectively.

Additionally, in this context, it should be mentioned that for an official, the consequences of being found to have committed violations can be expressed through applying one of the following penalties. These penalties include partial or total disqualification, relocation to a lower position, and an offer to terminate “conflicting” financial relationships (Doshi & Ranganathan, 2019). Only in the case of serious violations can criminal liability be imposed. Although to eliminate even the most minor forms of corrupt acts, it is possible to increase the penalties. For example, to introduce a norm, according to which officials have to compensate the damage in the double amount in case of participation in a corrupt scheme for the purpose of enrichment (Doshi & Ranganathan, 2019). Furthermore, engaging in corrupt acts in the public administration sector harms not only the interests of a particular area directly but also the welfare of all U.S. citizens. Accordingly, such officials should be excluded from public service without the right to be employed by the government or to participate in elections.

Moreover, to eradicate corruption in public administration, it is essential to apply such measures. Firstly, it is necessary to prohibit public officials for five years after their resignation from working in a company they control while in public service. For instance, an official dealing with medical issues and tenders cannot work in the companies involved in them for a set period (Sulitzeanu-Kenan et al., 2022). Correspondingly, such a rule increased the probability of exposing corrupt schemes and would simultaneously be a warning to officials about their involvement. In addition, compliance with new challenges in view of changing technology and opportunities for unscrupulous actions. The focus should be on high-risk areas such as procurement, revenue administration and natural resource management, and effective internal controls. For example, electric procurement systems can serve as massive tools to curb corruption by improving transparency and competition (Sulitzeanu-Kenan et al., 2022). It is also required to introduce changes in public administration policy in order to reduce the influence of the phenomenon of lobbyism.

First, lobbyist fundraising should be banned to minimize the risk of a corrupt scheme in which people with special interests buy favorable treatment from party members. Second, it is essential to prohibit members of Congress from receiving contributions from industries and groups under the jurisdiction of their committees. This will reduce the risk of conflicts and non-conflicts when crucial government decisions are made (Peters et al., 2021). This is because lawmakers will not be dependent on the funds of groups of influential individuals but will be empowered to work for the good of the American people. Expanding the disclosure of lobbying activities and their registration is also crucial. This will allow the public to understand who is spending money to attempt to influence the government.

Therefore, the flourishing of corruption in the government is one of the leading causes of ineffective public administration. In the United States, this manifests itself in the form of lobbying and the creation of illegal schemes in various areas in order to benefit. Accordingly, bribery or lobbying of interests provokes adverse consequences, affecting the tenders, competitions, and decisions of politicians. That is, critical areas such as health care, education, and national defense may not receive funding or receive poor-quality provisions. This affects the overall standard of living and conditions for all citizens, which is why it is necessary to fight corruption in public administration effectively. One way is to use electronic systems, register funds from third parties, or ban contributions. Meanwhile, it is essential to increase penalties for corrupt officials and impose restrictions on employment for former high-ranking officials.

Andersson, S., & Anechiarico, F. (2019). Corruption and corruption control: Democracy in the balance. Routledge.

Campos, N. F., & Giovannoni, F. (2017). Political institutions, lobbying and corruption . Journal of Institutional Economics, 13 (4), 917-939. Web.

Ceschel, F., Hinna, A., & Homberg, F. (2022). Public sector strategies in curbing corruption: A review of the literature . Public Organization Review , 1-21. Web.

Doshi, S., & Ranganathan, M. (2019). Corruption . Keywords in Radical Geography: Antipode, 50 , 68-73. Web.

Gokcekus, O., & Sonan, S. (2017). Political contributions and corruption in the United States . Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 20 (4), 360-372. Web.

Goldberg, F. (2018). Corruption and lobbying: Conceptual differentiation and gray areas . Crime, Law and Social Change, 70 (2), 197-215. Web.

Liu, C., Moldogaziev, T. T., & Mikesell, J. L. (2017). Corruption and state and local government debt expansion . Public Administration Review, 77 (5), 681-690. Web.

Peters, B. G. (2018). The politics of bureaucracy: An introduction to comparative public administration. Routledge.

Peters, B. G., Tercedor, C. A., & Ramos, C. (2021). The emerald handbook of public administration in Latin America . Emerald Group Publishing.

Sulitzeanu-Kenan, R., Tepe, M., & Yair, O. (2022). Public-sector honesty and corruption: Field evidence from 40 countries . Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 32 (2), 310-325. Web.

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Corruption Within Community Corrections Essay

Community corrections centers are essential in the criminal penal system because they offer other options to imprisonment and help criminals successfully reintegrate into the community. Making sure that offenders adhere to the conditions of their monitoring, which might involve travel limitations and attending therapy, is one of the main legal duties of parole and supervision agents. Officers of parole and probation must also keep the public safe. They must stay ethical boundaries with the criminals they monitor, eliminate biases of interest, and uphold confidentiality.

Consequentialism, which contends that the appropriateness of a decision relies on its results, is the ethical theory that most accurately defines the situation. In this instance, Daniels’ and Ponzi’s decisions were motivated by the idea that goals justify measures. The negative effects of their conduct were not considered because both men thought their behavior would benefit them personally (Ahlin, 2019). Ponzi’s misbehavior might have detrimental effects. If the court learns that Ponzi fabricated Daniels’ transcripts of attendance, it may call into question the legitimacy of the overall community prisons program. This might harm the courts’ capacity to administrate justice effectively (National Institute of Corrections, 2001). Furthermore, unethical conduct might develop if different community justice employees copy Ponzi’s behaviors and think they may benefit from doing the same.

Institutions should adopt an exceptionally stringent code of principles that defines which conducts are permissible and what practices should not be tolerated to mitigate unacceptable conduct from community corrections staff. Frequent instruction meetings should be held to ensure all personnel knows their obligations. Organizational administration should also structure accountability and oversight to guarantee that workers are responsible for their conduct (DeMatteo, 2019). Ongoing audits of absenteeism logs and other documentation and a method for staff to disclose illegal conduct. Lastly, organizations should enforce a zero-tolerance approach for unacceptable behavior, with obvious repercussions for staff members who transgress the organization’s moral policy.

Therefore, a slight restriction of the offender’s rights can result in negligent treatment despite the benefits of having comparatively lenient punishment in the justice system. In this situation, ethics loses its ability to control human behavior, and in case of such schemes disclosure, it may have serious repercussions for offenders who receive the appropriate punishment. Thus, representatives of law enforcement organizations and offenders must constantly raise the standard of legal culture and responsibility.

Ahlin, E. M. (2019). Semi-structured interviews with expert practitioners: Their validity and significant contribution to translational research . SAGE Publications Ltd. Web.

DeMatteo, D., Heilbrun, K., Thornewill, A., & Arnold, S. (2019). Problem-solving courts and the criminal justice system. Oxford University Press.

National Institute of Corrections. (2001). Civil liabilities and other legal issues for probation/parole officers and supervisors (3 rd ed.). U.S. Department of Justice.

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IvyPanda. (2024, May 22). Corruption Within Community Corrections. https://ivypanda.com/essays/corruption-within-community-corrections/

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