CORRUPTION IN LAND USE AND BUILDING REGULATION, V 2 APPENDIX - CASE STUDIES OF CORRUPTION AND REFORM

• NCJ Number: 58526
• Author(s): J A GARDINER; T R LYMON; S A WALDHORN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 152 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-NI-99-0087
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: SRI International
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CASE STUDIES OF NINE COMMUNITIES WITH CORRUPTION PROBLEMS AND ONE DOCUMENTED ABSENCE-OF-CORRUPTION CASE ARE PRESENTED IN THIS SECOND VOLUME OF A SERIES DEALING WITH LOCAL CORRUPTION IN LAND USE AND BUILDING REGULATIONS.

Abstract

EACH OF THE DOCUMENTED CASE STUDIES PRESENTED HERE PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ITS GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM, THE STRUCTURE OF ITS LAND USE REGULATION SYSTEMS, MAJOR INSTANCES OF CORRUPTION, AND STEPS TAKEN BY THE COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT FUTURE CORRUPTION. THE INFORMATION FOR THE STUDIES WAS TAKEN FROM REVIEWS OF TRIAL TRANSCRIPTS, NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS, AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS IN EACH COMMUNITY. THE ACCOUNTS ARE ILLUSTRATIVE RATHER THAN DEFINITIVE. THE CITIES WERE SELECTED BECAUSE THEY ILLUSTRATED PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF INFORMATION ON THE CORRUPTION-INTEGRITY ISSUE. CITIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS ARE LIKELY TO BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. EVERY ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO COVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME, 1976 TO 1977, FOR EACH COMMUNITY, AND TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS AS THEY EXISTED DURING THE PERIOD OF STUDY AND DURING THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING IT. THE FIRST CASE STUDIES DEAL WITH CORRUPTION IN INSPECTION PROGRAMS: IN NEW YORK CITY, CORRUPTION INVOLVED HOUSING AND DEMOLITION INSPECTORS; IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, INSPECTORS REVIEWING FEDERALLY FINANCED REHABILITATION PROGRAMS WERE TAKING PAYOFFS FROM CONTRACTORS; IN BROWARD COUNTY, FLA., THE CORRUPTION WAS AMONG INSPECTORS SUPERVISING HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS; IN OKLAHOMA CITY, CORRUPTION IN THE LICENSING OF ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT DEALINGS WITH BUILDERS WAS UNCOVERED. THE NEXT FOUR CASES FOCUS ON LAND USE DECISIONS: THE AWARDING OF ZONING VARIANCES IN EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I., USE PERMITS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CALIF., AND ZONING APPLICATIONS IN SANTA CLARA, CALIF., AND HOFFMAN ESTATES, ILL. CORRUPTION AND REFORM ARE STUDIED IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. THE FINAL CASE STUDY, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL., DIFFERS FROM THE OTHERS, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY OF THE CORRUPTION THAT WAS COMMON IN NEIGHBORING TOWNS; THE CASE STUDY FOCUSES ON WHY THIS PATTERN OF INTEGRITY DEVELOPED AS IT DID. FOR RELATED INFORMATION, SEE NCJ-47543.