Lecture Notes: Police Corruption

Introduction

Categories of police corruption:
- Corruption of authority (e.g., demanding free items like coffee).
- Kickbacks, bribes, setting up individuals, falsifying information, planting evidence.
Crime as a Career Model:
- Corruption can escalate from minor to serious acts (e.g., from free coffee to planting evidence).
Challenges in Definition:
- Too broad or too specific definitions are not useful.
- Noble cause corruption: Actions believed necessary for job, although illegal (e.g., forcing confessions).
Kellogg's Definition (1997):
- Corruption occurs when police act with the primary intention to further private or departmental gains.
- Importance of intention in defining corruption (means and ends of policing).
Bribes vs. Gratuities:
- Bribes influence behavior; gratuities are appreciation without expectation.

Bad Apple Theory:
- Not just a few "bad apples"; corruption is systematic.
Factors Contributing to Corruption:
- Discretion: Ability to choose who to charge or not.
- Low visibility: Limited oversight by managers and public.
- Blue wall of silence: Non-reporting culture within police.
- Association with criminals: Increases risk of corruption.
- Community factors: Higher in disorganized, poor communities.
- Vice crime involvement: More likely in victimless crimes.

Policy and Legal Measures:
- Anti-corruption laws and policies.
- Easier to terminate corrupt officers (challenged by police unions).
- Political motivation needed to challenge police unions.
Visibility and Oversight:
- Body cameras for accountability.
- Independent investigations by non-police entities.
- Hiring chiefs from outside policing.
Ethics and Professionalism:
- Emphasizing ethics in police training and hiring.
- Encouraging a sense of professional duty and pride.
- Promoting ethical behavior and professionalism through education.