NCJ Number
58523
Date Published
1979
Length
138 pages
Annotation
THIS MANUAL ON HOW TO ESTABLISH A CITIZEN'S GROUP TO EXPOSE CORRUPTION AND BRING PRESSURE FOR REFORM WAS PREPARED BY THE BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO.
Abstract
WHERE CORRUPTION APPEARS TO BE ENTRENCHED IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN THE AREAS OF LAND USE AND REGULATION, AND WHERE THE AFFECTED PART OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SEES NO NEED FOR REFORM, CITIZEN ACTION CAN BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. CHICAGO'S BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION (BGA) IS PRESENTED AS AN EXAMPLE, AND THE FOLLOWING HYPOTHESES ARE ADDRESSED: (1) THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CORRUPTION IS INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO ITS VISIBILITY; (2) THE INCENTIVE FOR AN APPLICANT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ACT OF CORRUPTION WILL BE MINIMIZED IF HE NOT ONLY BELIEVES THAT HIS PARTICIPATION WOULD BE WRONG, BUT THAT HIS REFUSAL TO PARTICIPATE WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY HIS COMPANY AND HIS COMMUNITY; (3) THE INCENTIVE OF AN OFFICIAL TO PARTICIPATE IN A CORRUPT ACT WILL BE INCREASED BY EXPERIENCES IN WHICH CORRUPTION WAS CONDONED; AND (4) AN OFFICIAL OR AN APPLICANT WILL HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO ENGAGE IN CORRUPTION WHEN THE ANTICIPATED GAINS FROM CORRUPTION, LESS ITS COST, EXCEED THE GAINS TO BE EXPECTED FROM LEGITIMATE ACTIVITIES, LESS THEIR COST. REASONS FOR ESTABLISHING A CITIZEN WATCHDOG GROUP ARE OUTLINED, AND A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE BGA AND ITS HISTORY IS PROVIDED. METHODS FOR ORGANIZING AND FINANCING A CITIZEN WATCHDOG GROUP AS WELL AS SUGGESTIONS FOR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ARE GIVEN. CASE HISTORIES OF SIX INVESTIGATIONS UNDERTAKEN BY THE BGA ARE DISCUSSED TO SHOW HOW THOSE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OPERATE IN PRACTICE. FINALLY, APPENDIXES INCLUDE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ADDITIONAL CASE MATERIALS, THE BYLAWS OF THE BGA AND THEIR INVESTIGATIVE GUIDELINES, AN IRS LETTER, AND AN EXAMPLE OF A BGA 'WHITE PAPER.'