NCJ Number
53758
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 16-23
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
WAYS IN WHICH CORRUPTION MAY BE FUNCTIONAL IN THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG POLICE OFFICERS AND BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY ARE EXPLORED IN A COMPARISON OF POLICING IN THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN.
Abstract
THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE SUGGESTS THAT CORRUPTION AMONG AMERICAN POLICE EXISTS AND PERSISTS BECAUSE IT FULFILLS CERTAIN NEEDS CREATED BY AMERICAN CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE. IF THIS CONCEPT IS VALID, IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO POINT TO RELEVANT WAYS IN WHICH THE CULTURE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURES WITHIN WHICH THE RELATIVELY NONCORRUPT BRITISH POLICE OPERATE DIFFER FROM THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS IN CREATING FEWER AREAS IN WHICH POLICE CORRUPTION IS FUNCTIONAL. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT, IN THE UNITED STATES, THE POLICE OFFICER'S SENSE OF ISOLATION FROM THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY LEADS TO AN ALMOST EXCLUSIVE RELIANCE ON POLICE SOLIDARITY, AND THAT THIS SITUATION IS SUPPORTIVE OF CORRUPTION. IN BRITAIN, POLICE OFFICERS' SENSE OF ISOLATION STEMS FROM ORGANIZATION FACTORS, NOT FROM PUBLIC HOSTILITY TOWARD THE POLICE. SOLIDARITY AMONG BRITISH POLICE IS STRENGTHENED BY A SENSE OF PROFESSIONALISM AND MORAL SUPERIORITY, WHICH APPARENTLY OFFERS A FUNCTIONAL ALTERNATIVE TO CORRUPTION IN MEETING THE OFFICERS' NEED TO DEAL WITH THEIR ISOLATION FROM THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY. WHEN CORRUPTION IN AMERICAN POLICE AGENCIES IS WELL ORGANIZED AND PERVASIVE, IT BOTH SUPPORTS THE RANK HIERARCHY AND DRAWS MEMBERS OF ALL RANKS TOGETHER THROUGH THEIR SHARED INVOLVEMENT IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. BRITISH POLICE, UNLIKE AMERICANS, ARE WILLING TO SEE RANK IN TERMS OF SOCIAL DISTANCE AS WELL AS AUTHORITY. THIS SOCIAL DISTANCE DOES NOT DEMAND AND ACTUALLY PREVENTS THE TYPE OF ORGANIZED CORRUPTION THAT REQUIRES COOPERATION AMONG THE RANKS. IN CULTURALLY HETEROGENEOUS, RAPIDLY CHANGING SOCIETIES, POLICE MAY TURN TO CORRUPTION TO ESCAPE THE CONFLICT THAT ARISES WHEN THEY ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE LAWS THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY ALL SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY. THE GREATER CULTURAL HOMOGENEITY OF BRITAIN HAS MEANT THAT BRITISH POLICE HAVE NOT HAD TO DEAL WITH SUCH CONFLICTS TO THE EXTENT THAT AMERICAN POLICE HAVE. THERE IS EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT, WHEN BRITISH POLICE FACE CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE SAME NEEDS ARISE AND CORRUPTION PROVES EQUALLY FUNCTIONAL. (LKM)