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

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

Abuse of Authority: An action by a police officer that tends to injure, insult, trespass upon human dignityand/or violate an inherent legal right of a citizen.

*The Costs of Police CorruptionA corrupt act by a police officer is a criminal act.Corruption usually protects other criminal acts.Corruption undermines the effectiveness of the criminal justice system.Corruption undermines the professionalism of a police department.Corruption is a secret tax adding up to millions of dollars a year.Corruption undermines public confidence in the police.

*Types of CorruptionGratuitiesFree meals, dry cleaning, or discountsReceive or not receive?Why would business persons give gratuities?Grass eaters vs. meat eaters BribesFor not enforcing the lawSelling informationProtecting illegal activities

Theft and burglaryTaking money from people arrested for drunkennessStealing property, money, or drugsCorruption and BrutalityOfficers bust drug dealers, steal their drugs or money and then sold drugs to other dealers or officersRite of initiation

*Corruption and BrutalityBrutality - new form of corruption that emerged in the 1980s & 1990sNew York CityLos Angeles

*Levels of corruptionType I: Rotten apples and rotten pocketsRotten apples - Only a few corrupt officersRotten pocket - a few corrupt officers cooperating with one anotherType II: Pervasive unorganized corruptionMajority of personnel are corrupt but have little relationship to each other.Type III: Pervasive organized corruptionPenetrates higher levels

*Theories of Police CorruptionIndividual-officer explanationsRotten applesThe criminal lawRegulation of activities that people regard as legitimate or matters of private choiceRegulatory ordinancesCulture conflictConflict over the goals of the system

Local Political CultureCorruption pervades other parts of governmentNeighborhood ExplanationsOrganizations foster corruptionHigh levels of poverty, racial diversity, population turnover, and low levels of informal social control may lead to police misconduct

Nature of police workOpportunityLow visibilityOfficer attitude

*Theories of Police Corruption Cont.Police organizationQuality of management and supervisionExists because the department tolerates itPolice subcultureInitiates officers into corrupt activitiesCovers up corrupt activities

*Becoming CorruptThe Moral Careers of Individual Officers according to Sherman:Police officers are often all honest at the outset of their careersMoral career begins with minor gratuitiesPeer pressure involvedSmall bribes like free mealsSecond and third phases involve regulatory offensesOfficer more likely to engage in these activities if he/she knows other officers are doing itFourth, fifth and sixth phases involve more serious offensesAccepting large amounts of moneyProtection of certain activities such as prostitution and drug trafficking Corrupting OrganizationsInitial stage involves individuals or isolated groupsSecond and third stages involve all officers becoming corruptFinal stages involve pervasive organized corruption:

*Controlling CorruptionInternal MechanismsAttitude of Chief of PoliceRules and RegulationsInternal Affairs investigationsParting the blue curtainProactive Integrity testsEffective Supervision Rewarding good officersPersonnel Recruitment

*Controlling CorruptionExternal MechanismsSpecial investigationsCriminal prosecutionMobilizing public opinionAltering the external environment

Media

*The Limits of Anticorruption EffortsAnechiarico and Jacobs argue anticorruption efforts have been ineffective and have made government itself ineffectiveCorruption persists in the NYC police department despite special investigations every 20 yearsHowever, NYC is unique and other police departments in other cities have been successful in reducing corruption