Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Police Corruption
A Definition of Police
Corruption
Occupational Deviance: Criminal and improper noncriminal behavior committed during the course of
normal work activities or under the guise of a police
officers authority.
Types of Corruption
Gratuities
Free meals, dry
cleaning, or discounts
Receive or not receive?
Why would business
persons give gratuities?
Grass eaters vs. meat
eaters
Bribes
For not enforcing the
law
Selling information
Protecting illegal
activities
Levels of corruption
Type I: Rotten apples
and rotten pockets
Rotten apples - Only
a few corrupt officers
Rotten pocket - a few
corrupt officers
cooperating with one
another
Culture conflict
Conflict over the goals
of the system
Neighborhood Explanations
Organizations foster corruption
High levels of poverty, racial
diversity, population turnover,
and low levels of informal social
control may lead to police
misconduct
Opportunity
Low visibility
Officer attitude
7
Police subculture
Initiates officers into corrupt activities
Covers up corrupt activities
Becoming Corrupt
Police officers are often all honest at the outset of their careers
Moral career begins with minor gratuities
Peer
pressure involved
Small bribes like free meals
Corrupting Organizations
Controlling Corruption
Internal Mechanisms
Effective Supervision
Rewarding good officers
Personnel Recruitment
10
Controlling Corruption
External Mechanisms
Special investigations
Criminal prosecution
Mobilizing public opinion
Altering the external environment
Media
11