NCJ Number
128054
Date Published
1991
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Perjury and lying by police are discussed in terms of their nature, the circumstances under which they occur, and their possible consequences.
Abstract
Forms of lying and deception that are an accepted part of police work include deception in connection with undercover operations and lying to the media or the public to protect the innocent in situations such as kidnapping, to protect the agency's image, or to calm the public in crisis situations. A second category of police lies are those recognized and tolerated as necessary evils such as not admitting to a lack of resources necessary to address all crime problems, threats to arrest combatants in a domestic disturbance, and deception during interrogation of suspects. Deviant lies are those that violate substantive or procedural law, often to achieve perceived legitimate goals and sometimes in support of illegitimate goals such as avoiding discipline. Lies can and do create distrust within the organization and undermine citizen confidence in the police. In addition, deviant police lies undermine the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. To address the problem of lying, a code of ethics, other directives, training, and supervision are needed. 21 references and 5 study questions