NCJ Number
66605
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 107-115
Date Published
1980
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A SURVEY IDENTIFIED PAST AND FUTURE TRENDS IN THE NATURE AND CONTROL OF POLICE CORRUPTION AS VIEWED BY POLICE OFFICIALS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATORS AND DELPHI METHODS WERE USED TO ANALYZE RESULTS.
Abstract
A PANEL OF POLICE OFFICIALS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATORS RESPONDED TO THREE OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ON PAST AND FUTURE TRENDS REGARDING THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF POLICE CORRUPTION AND ITS CONTROL. THE RESULTANT DATA BASE WAS THEN USED TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF CATEGORIES WITH DESCRIPTORS TO ENCOMPASS WHAT HAD BEEN SAID ABOUT POLICE CORRUPTION IN THE 1970'S AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE 25 YEARS FOLLOWING. INITIAL RESPONSES OF 44 POLICE PANELISTS AND 15 EDUCATIONAL PANELISTS INDICATED THAT, FOR THE 10-YEAR PERIOD UNDER STUDY, 46.2 PERCENT BELIEVED CORRUPTION HAD BEGUN TO LEVEL OFF, WHILE 34.6 PERCENT THOUGHT CORRUPTION HAD INCREASED. IT WAS BELIEVED BY 78.4 PERCENT OF THE PANELISTS THAT POLICE CORRUPTION WOULD LEVEL OFF AND/OR BEGIN TO DECREASE DURING THE NEXT 25 YEARS. THE RESPONDENTS IDENTIFIED THREE MAJOR AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE FOR CONTROLLING CORRUPTION: ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL, WATCHDOG GROUPS, AND CONTROL BY THE MEDIA. THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL AMONG THE THREE FACTORS REFLECTS A DESIRE FOR INTERNAL POLICING OF WRONGDOERS AND THE REJECTION OF EXTERNAL EXPOSURE. THE SPECIFIC NATURE OF POLICE CORRUPTION WAS FOUND TO BE INFLUENCED BY A NUMBER OF VARIABLES, INCLUDING POLICE CORRUPTION PARALLELING POLITICAL CORRUPTION; POLICE CORRUPTION REFLECTING THE MORAL VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY; POLICE CORRUPTION RESULTING FROM THE NATURE OF POLICE WORK; POLICE CYNICISM RESULTING IN CORRUPTION; AND POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT RESULTING IN CORRUPTION. THE PANEL OF EXPERTS SUGGESTED THAT DURING THE NEXT 25 YEARS POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION WOULD EMERGE AS THE STRONGEST ANTIDOTE TO POLICE CORRUPTION, WITH THE NEXT MOST IMPORTANT INFLUENCE BEING THE STRINGENT PROSECUTION OF OFFENDERS. CIVILIAN CONTROL AND/OR REVIEW IS VIEWED AS HAVING LITTLE IMPACT ON POLICE CORRUPTION. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE DATA SHOW THE STRONG EFFECT OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION UPON THE CORRUPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE BUREAUCRATIC POLICE ORGANIZATION ITSELF SERVE AS THE FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR A POLICE IDEOLOGY THAT EMBODIES THE CONCEPTS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. TABLES AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)