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Police in AmericaPolice in America

Chapter ThirteenChapter Thirteen

Police CorruptionPolice Corruption

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A Definition of Police A Definition of Police CorruptionCorruption

► Police CorruptionPolice Corruption: A form of misconduct or deviant : A form of misconduct or deviant behavior by police officers that involves the misuse of behavior by police officers that involves the misuse of authority in a manner designed to produce personal authority in a manner designed to produce personal gain for themselves or for others.gain for themselves or for others.

► Occupational DevianceOccupational Deviance: Criminal and improper non-: Criminal and improper non-criminal behavior committed during the course of criminal behavior committed during the course of normal work activities or under the guise of a police normal work activities or under the guise of a police officer’s authority.officer’s authority.

► Abuse of AuthorityAbuse of Authority: An action by a police officer “that : An action by a police officer “that tends to injure, insult, trespass upon human dignity…tends to injure, insult, trespass upon human dignity…and/or violate an inherent legal right” of a citizen.and/or violate an inherent legal right” of a citizen.

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The Costs of Police The Costs of Police CorruptionCorruption

1.1. A corrupt act by a police officer is a criminal A corrupt act by a police officer is a criminal act.act.

2.2. Corruption usually protects other criminal acts.Corruption usually protects other criminal acts.3.3. Corruption undermines the effectiveness of Corruption undermines the effectiveness of

the criminal justice system.the criminal justice system.4.4. Corruption undermines the professionalism of Corruption undermines the professionalism of

a police department.a police department.5.5. Corruption is a secret tax adding up to millions Corruption is a secret tax adding up to millions

of dollars a year.of dollars a year.6.6. Corruption undermines public confidence in Corruption undermines public confidence in

the police.the police.

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Types of CorruptionTypes of Corruption

GratuitiesGratuities Free meals, dry Free meals, dry

cleaning, or discountscleaning, or discounts Receive or not receive?Receive or not receive? Why would business Why would business

persons give persons give gratuities?gratuities?

Grass eaters” vs. Grass eaters” vs. “meat eaters” “meat eaters”

BribesBribes For not enforcing the For not enforcing the

lawlaw Selling informationSelling information Protecting illegal Protecting illegal

activitiesactivities

Theft and burglaryTheft and burglary Taking money from Taking money from

people arrested for people arrested for drunkennessdrunkenness

Stealing property, Stealing property, money, or drugsmoney, or drugs

Corruption and BrutalityCorruption and Brutality Officers bust drug Officers bust drug

dealers, steal their dealers, steal their drugs or money and drugs or money and then sold drugs to then sold drugs to other dealers or other dealers or officersofficers

““Rite of initiation”Rite of initiation”

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Corruption and BrutalityCorruption and Brutality

Brutality - new form Brutality - new form of corruption that of corruption that emerged in the emerged in the 1980s & 1990s1980s & 1990s New York CityNew York City Los AngelesLos Angeles

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Levels of corruptionLevels of corruption

Type I: Rotten apples Type I: Rotten apples and rotten pocketsand rotten pockets Rotten apples - Only a Rotten apples - Only a

few corrupt officersfew corrupt officers Rotten pocket - a few Rotten pocket - a few

corrupt officers corrupt officers cooperating with one cooperating with one anotheranother

Type II: Pervasive Type II: Pervasive unorganized unorganized corruptioncorruption Majority of personnel Majority of personnel

are corrupt but have are corrupt but have little relationship to little relationship to each other.each other.

Type III: Pervasive Type III: Pervasive organized organized corruptioncorruption Penetrates higher Penetrates higher

levelslevels

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Theories of Police CorruptionTheories of Police Corruption

Individual-officer Individual-officer explanationsexplanations Rotten applesRotten apples

The criminal lawThe criminal law Regulation of activities Regulation of activities

that people regard as that people regard as legitimate or matters of legitimate or matters of private choiceprivate choice

Regulatory ordinancesRegulatory ordinances

Culture conflictCulture conflict Conflict over the goals Conflict over the goals

of the systemof the system

Local Political CultureLocal Political Culture Corruption pervades other Corruption pervades other

parts of governmentparts of government

Neighborhood ExplanationsNeighborhood Explanations Organizations foster corruptionOrganizations foster corruption High levels of poverty, racial High levels of poverty, racial

diversity, population turnover, diversity, population turnover, and low levels of informal and low levels of informal social control may lead to social control may lead to police misconductpolice misconduct

Nature of police workNature of police work OpportunityOpportunity Low visibilityLow visibility Officer attitudeOfficer attitude

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Theories of Police Corruption Theories of Police Corruption Cont.Cont.

Police organizationPolice organization Quality of management and supervisionQuality of management and supervision Exists because the department tolerates itExists because the department tolerates it

Police subculturePolice subculture Initiates officers into corrupt activitiesInitiates officers into corrupt activities Covers up corrupt activitiesCovers up corrupt activities

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Becoming CorruptBecoming Corrupt

► The Moral Careers of Individual Officers according to The Moral Careers of Individual Officers according to Sherman:Sherman: Police officers are often all honest at the outset of their Police officers are often all honest at the outset of their

careerscareers Moral career begins with minor gratuitiesMoral career begins with minor gratuities

► Peer pressure involvedPeer pressure involved► Small bribes like free mealsSmall bribes like free meals

Second and third phases involve regulatory offensesSecond and third phases involve regulatory offenses► Officer more likely to engage in these activities if he/she knows Officer more likely to engage in these activities if he/she knows

other officers are doing itother officers are doing it Fourth, fifth and sixth phases involve more serious offensesFourth, fifth and sixth phases involve more serious offenses

► Accepting large amounts of moneyAccepting large amounts of money► Protection of certain activities such as prostitution and drug Protection of certain activities such as prostitution and drug

trafficking trafficking ► Corrupting OrganizationsCorrupting Organizations

Initial stage involves individuals or isolated groupsInitial stage involves individuals or isolated groups Second and third stages involve all officers becoming corruptSecond and third stages involve all officers becoming corrupt Final stages involve “pervasive organized corruption:Final stages involve “pervasive organized corruption:

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Controlling CorruptionControlling Corruption

Internal MechanismsInternal Mechanisms Attitude of Chief of PoliceAttitude of Chief of Police Rules and RegulationsRules and Regulations Internal Affairs investigationsInternal Affairs investigations

►Parting the “blue curtain”Parting the “blue curtain”►Proactive Integrity testsProactive Integrity tests

Effective Supervision Effective Supervision Rewarding good officersRewarding good officers Personnel Recruitment Personnel Recruitment

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Controlling CorruptionControlling Corruption

External MechanismsExternal Mechanisms Special investigationsSpecial investigations Criminal prosecutionCriminal prosecution Mobilizing public opinionMobilizing public opinion Altering the external environmentAltering the external environment

Media Media

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The Limits of Anticorruption The Limits of Anticorruption EffortsEfforts

►Anechiarico and Jacobs argue Anechiarico and Jacobs argue anticorruption efforts have been anticorruption efforts have been ineffective and have made government ineffective and have made government itself ineffectiveitself ineffective

►Corruption persists in the NYC police Corruption persists in the NYC police department despite special department despite special investigations every 20 yearsinvestigations every 20 years

►However, NYC is unique and other However, NYC is unique and other police departments in other cities have police departments in other cities have been successful in reducing corruptionbeen successful in reducing corruption