NCJ Number
185267
Journal
European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2000 Pages: 301-324
Date Published
September 2000
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This examination of police corruption and its prevention focuses on three issues: definitions of corruption, the forms it takes in different societies, and ways of preventing corruption.
Abstract
The report has two themes. First, police corruption is not an individual aberration of an incidental nature that can be readily countered with temporary, repressive measures. The "new realism" regarding this issue maintains that corruption and police misconduct are persistent and recurring threats generated within the police organization itself. A second theme of this report is that there is consensus on effective measures to address police corruption and promote police integrity. These include strong leadership, a multifaceted organizational strategy, a well-resourced internal affairs unit, proactive techniques of investigation, and persistent efforts to promote professional standards. The essence is a judicious and sophisticated balance between negative and positive social control. Policing is about the rule of law and due process; corruption and other forms of police deviance undermine the legitimacy of the police organization and, by implication, the state. A "clean" police organization is a crucial barometer of a healthy society. Although the difficulties of achieving this are significant, a comparative review of the experiences in four societies -- the United States, Great Britain, Belgium, and the Netherlands -- provides clear indicators of reform, control, and leadership in fostering police integrity and in countering police corruption. 1 table and 48 references