Police Corruption Paper

The higher the individual’s position in a company, the higher the tendency for that individual to carry out a profitable deviant act because of easier access to the organization’s resources. Thus managers, law enforcers form a much higher position level or businesses’ owners can be expected to break the rules and the constitutional law. “In the United States today, police power is an awaking leviathan” (Caldero & Crank, 2010). Every job in its very nature, especially in the criminal justice field, involves a slippery slope or the potential for gradual deterioration of social-moral inhibitions and perceived sense of permissibility for deviant conduct. Corruption and official deviance are both very complex phenomenona and have been in existence for a very long time. Although many aspects of policing have gradually changed over the years, per se, the existence of corruption in policing remained unchanged and very prevalent. A combination of high position, status, and prestige; hence, provide the greatest opportunity for deviant activities, which in turn may turn a deviant motivation into a deviant action.

In a democratic country law enforcement officers are expected to undertake their duties with dignity and respect thus following both the rule of law and its procedure. Law enforcement officials whose duty is to enforce the law should abide by the law and should be accountable for both their decisions and consequences of it. But the main issue is – quis custodiet ipsos custodes – who controls the controllers? This critical issue is of importance because the history of policing is littered with scandals in which police officers broke the law and also in which the police organisation failed to detect the deviance (or colluded in it; or tried to deflect investigations by defensive opposition). I will be examining in this article police corruption and its prevention and I shall focus on three main aspects: definitions of corruption; the forms it takes in different societies; ways of preventing

In order for a Police agency to prevent and deter Police misconduct, there must be a definition to what actions and behaviors that the term will encompass. The term ‘police corruption’ has been used to describe many activities: bribery; violence and brutality; fabrication and destruction of evidence; racism; favoritism or nepotism. Many different scholars differ in their own examples of the definition. Before attempting to the question of whether a precise definition is possible, it is worth examining the range of activities that might be included within a broad discussion of corruption. In (Bayley and Perito, 2011), it is defined as police corruption is a contested phrase with narrow and broad meanings. Narrowly

Corruption has always been a danger to law enforcement, just as it has been a danger to all of mankind since the beginning of time. Since the very first police agency was formed in the 1800s, corruption has been widespread. The 19th century was an era in which politics played a very large role in police forces. Various political parties essentially had some police departments in their pockets, and as long as officers served to further those political parties’ agendas, the officers’ continued employment was guaranteed. Since politicians have not always been known for being straight-laced, one can easily see how corruption within police departments became prevalent. Since officers were not serving the people, but rather the political elite, their motives were constantly in question. It was not long before politicians began employing police officers to overlook and even protect their illicit activities. Through this practice, officers began to see the potential monetary and political benefits of allowing and participating in certain illegal actions. Even after the establishment of countermeasures such as police commissions, civil service exams, and legislative changes, corruption remained rampant. This corruption was perhaps best exemplified by none other than the actions of many officers within the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Corruption and brutality scandals have severely tarnished the public’s faith in the police. From the killings and brutalizing of citizens in New York City to the widespread corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department, more and more law enforcement administrators are faced with the task of reforming police department, with little guidance on how to bring about the necessary changes. This is not the first time in our country’s history that

Police corruption has been an issue that has left a lasting blemish on communities and society. Police corruption usually derives a lack of respect officer(s) feel that either the city does not care about them or they are not paid enough for their duties. Throughout this essay I will give you a better understanding on the issue that is police corruption by using terminology from the book such as the “rotten apple theory”, “blue wall of silence” and “deviant subculture”. With corruption this affects the view we have on police and it is up to us not fall into the trap of negativity and create a better society for the future.

With the past and current issues our country is having with law enforcement officials the ethical deliberations about corruptions is constantly examining the foundations of police ethics. The reasoning following public corruption indicates an underlying social institutional structure that our country has created. In 2006, Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa were convicted of racketeering, extortion, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and murder charges. Louis and Stephen worked in the NYPD police department; however, they were actually working for the Lucchese crime family mafia. In 2001, Joseph Miedzianowski worked as both a police officer and a drug kingpin; therefore, he used his knowledge from both sides of his work to shake down drug dealers. From 1972 until 1991, Jon Burge oversaw the torture of hundreds of African American men with radiators, cigarettes, and electrocuted their testicles; therefore, in order to assure Chicago police department could get their confessions. During Hurricane Katrina Robert Gisevius, Kenneth Bowen, and Anthony Villavaso members of the New Orleans police department murdered an innocent sixteen-year-old James Brissette under a bridge. Situations like these are highly publicized and often lead the public to doubt our countries police department members. Corruption of ethics and morals within a police department is destructive, and can have a crippling effect on the police department’s organization. When an organization experiences a

What is Police corruption? In legal dictionary Police corruption is defined as “The misuse of police authority for personal gain”. Personal gain can mean monetary payment or any other type of benefit. Corruption is not a new or uncommon obstacle facing the police departments. The problem goes far back as the forming of the organized police forces. Police corruption is a problem that hurts both the police organization and the society. Since its beginning many aspects of policing has changed; however, one aspect that has remained unchanged is the corruption within the police departments. In my paper I will be looking into an instance of police corruption scandal that happened in Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). What gave rise to corruption,

Throughout the whole course of the semester, I gained a lot of information about the administration of justice. We, as a class, were introduced to ethics in the criminal justice system which strictly focused on the three C’s: cops, courts, and corrections. We talked about the different ways to approach a citizen by using critical thinking and step-by-step decision making. We also talked about key concepts such as integrity, which plays a major role in the criminal justice system, and other concepts such as de-escalation or even the rule of law. In this essay I will talk about the information I have gained over the course of the semester as well as talk about how I will incorporate this information in my future in the criminal justice field.

Corruption is already rampant in law enforcement today. People are susceptible to bribes and threats from criminals looking to get let off, and that will probably never change. But the system must be considered on its overall merits. No matter what we do, they flaws that make us all inherently human, and separate us from robots will always be apparent. Yet as the system becomes more reliable these flaws become less and less relevant. I have already outlined the vast benefits of a Pre-crime system and overall, the advantages greatly outweigh the disadvantages, especially when those same disadvantages are already present in the current

Police corruption can defined as any prescribed act involving the misuse of the officer’s official position for money or money’s worth or personal gain (Barker& Roebuck, 1983). Three elements identify police corruption 1) the behavior must be forbidden by law, rule, regulation and ethical standard. 2) The behavior must involve the misuse of the officers’ official position i.e. if the officer fails to do something he or she is supposed to do or does something against what he or she is supposed to. 3) The reward for corrupt acts should be money or money’s worth. Once an officer is involved in any type of form of corruption it can interfere with the police officer’s performance

In their study, Klockars, Lvkovich, Harver, and Haberfeld (2000) attempt to gauge police officer integrity through a survey. Officers were given 11 hypothetical case scenarios and asked to answer 6 questions related to each. Two questions asked about the seriousness of the case (own view and those of others), two asked about how severely the offender should be disciplined (own view and those of others), and the final two asked about willingness of officers to report the incident (own view and those of others). The authors hoped that these questions would adequately measure police integrity in terms of officer corruption.

Police corruption has become an international problem. This was initially a common practice during the period when the police institutions were being developed but the effect has been felt by many people, even affecting peacekeeping operations. The police abuse and corruption has become endemic in the U.S making many citizens seek help from other organization. An example of such a case was experienced in the police training program in Afghanistan were the civilians were brutally abused forcing

George Bernard Shaw once said “Power does not corrupt man, fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power”. In recent years a light has been shawn down on the obvious corruption and prejudice of some government officials. In places specifically like America, the media has taken the story of corruption and made everyone rethink who government officials are actually protecting. It’s not just happening in America, but everywhere in the world it has become apparent that arrests, jail sentences and even police shootings have been semi-dictated by biased thoughts. For the following reasons, I believe more screening for biased and prejudiced thoughts should happen before employment of government officials in power positions.

Some argue that corrupt police officers are simply the product of a corrupt culture of the agency they work for. These officers are socially introduced to a number of informal rules when they begin employment. This process and these rules serve two main purposes. First, this process is designed to minimize the chances of external or internal controls being mobilized to address the behaviors and, secondly, to keep corrupt activities at a level that is acceptable and likely undetectable. The rule most often referred to in this connection, is the “Code of Silence.” Officers are socialized into not cooperating with investigations regarding fellow officers. Whether or not the officer participates in corrupt activities for financial gain, an officer’s adherence to the “Code of Silence” places them squarely amongst the corrupt of the profession (Price, 1972).