NCJ Number
44977
Date Published
1977
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THEORETICAL, CONCEPTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED AS FACTORS IN THE DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON POLICE CORRUPTION.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE REVEALS ONLY THREE EMPIRICAL STUDIES OF POLICE CORRUPTION AND FOUR MAJOR ANALYSES OF THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH NO SPECIFIC THEORIES OF POLICE CORRUPTION HAVE EMERGED, TWO RECURRING THEMES ARE EVIDENT IN THE LITERATURE: THE 'MYTH OF THE ROTTEN APPLE'; AND THE FUNCTIONAL EXPLANATION OF POLICE CORRUPTION. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK IS THAT OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE, I.E., DEVIANT BEHAVIOR LINKED TO AND SUPPORTED BY THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF MOST POLICE DEPARTMENTS. MOST WRITERS TEND TO USE THE TERM 'POLICE CORRUPTION' IN A GENERIC, HIGHLY ABSTRACT MANNER TO ENCOMPASS A WIDE RANGE OF BEHAVIORS. SUCH CONCEPTUAL VAGUENESS LIMITS GUIDELINES FOR EMPIRICAL RESEARCH. THE THIRD PROBLEM AREA, AND PERHAPS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE TO RESEARCH ON POLICE CORRUPTION, IS METHODOLOGY. THE SCARCENESS OF HARD DATA AND THE LOW VISIBILITY OF THE DEVIANT TRANSACTION CONSTITUTE MAJOR LIMITATIONS TO RESEARCH. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT LITTLE WORTHWHILE RESEARCH ON POLICE CORRUPTION WILL BE CONDUCTED UNTIL A MEANS OF OBTAINING UNBIASED, VALID DATA IS FOUND. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED.