NCJ Number
62475
Date Published
1979
Length
21 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECTS OF POLICE REFORM ON POLITICAL CORRUPTION ARE EXAMINED IN THREE CASE STUDIES FROM OAKLAND, CALIF., NEWBURG, N.Y., AND LOS ANGELES, CALIF.
Abstract
POLITICAL CORRUPTION, AS EXAMINED HERE, MAY BE DEFINED AS DERIVATION OF PRIVATE PROFIT FROM THE EXERCISE OF PUBLIC AUTHORITY. BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING THE LAW AGAINST POLITICAL CORRUPTION, THREE LOGICAL POSSIBILITIES EXIST FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND POLITICAL CULTURE: (1) THE POLICE WILL USE THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT POWER TO DETER POLITICAL CORRUPTION; (2) THE POLITICAL CULTURE WILL SUPPORT ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE THE REFORM OF POLICE LEADERSHIP AND RETURN THE REFORMED POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ITS PREVIOUS, CORRUPT CONDITION; OR (3) THE HONEST POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CORRUPT POLITICAL CULTURE WILL PEACEFULLY COEXIST, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT USING THE THREAT OF ITS LAW ENFORCEMENT POWER MERELY TO ENSURE ITS OWN AUTONOMY AND NOT TO DETER POLITICAL CORRUPTION. THESE THREE PATTERNS OF INTERACTION BETWEEN AN HONEST POLICE DEPARTMENT AND A CORRUPT POLITICAL CULTURE ARE APPARENT IN OAKLAND DURING THE PERIOD 1955-1960; IN NEWBURG AFTER A PERIOD (1972-1978) IN WHICH THE CITY HAD FIT THE FIRST AFOREMENTIONED MODEL FOR POLICE-POLITICAL CULTURE INTERACTION; AND IN LOS ANGELES DURING THE PERIOD 1950-1966. THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED FROM THESE CASE STUDIES CHALLENGES THE WIDESPREAD ASSUMPTION THAT ONLY A ONE-WAY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND POLITICAL CULTURE IS POSSIBLE, AT LEAST WITH REFERENCE TO POLITICAL CORRUPTION AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL. THEORIES TO EXPLAIN WHY THE EFFECT OF POLICE REFORM ON POLITICAL CULTURE VARIES AMONG THE THREE TYPES DESCRIBES HERE HAVE YET TO BE ESTABLISHED BY EMPIRICAL RESEARCH. FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)