NCJ Number
158949
Journal
Drug Law Report Volume: 1 Issue: 20 Dated: (March-April 1996) Pages: 229-237
Date Published
1986
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Representatives of every U.S. and foreign government agency involved in drug law enforcement have been corrupted by the high profile of illegal drugs, and the pace of corruption has escalated to an epidemic rate.
Abstract
The two most common drugs associated with the corruption of public officials are marijuana and cocaine. The most common crimes involve drug sales and trafficking and protection for drug traffickers. The major cause of corruption related to illicit drugs is money, but the root cause of corruption is that laws prohibiting marijuana and other drugs are inconsistent with the philosophy of criminal law. It is difficult to catch corrupt government officials because they understand how drug law enforcement works and also because of a "code of silence" among law enforcement officials. In addition to the corruption of individuals, illegal drugs corrupt institutions. Cases of official corruption are cited that involve Federal agents, prosecutors, judicial officers, political leaders, sheriffs, and police officers. Effects of corruption are noted, and possible solutions are proposed. A list of drug-related corruption cases involving public officials during the 1983-1985 period is included.