NCJ Number
44656
Date Published
1977
Length
20 pages
Annotation
AN ENVIRONMENTAL THEORY OF POLICE CORRUPTION AND RESEARCH ON CORRUPTION CONTROL ARE REVIEWED, AND A MODEL RELATING ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE, POLICY CHANGE, ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, AND CORRUPTION CONTROL IS PROPOSED.
Abstract
THE CONCLUSIONS OF SEVERAL RESEARCHERS ARE SYNTHESIZED IN A FORMAL ENVIRONMENTAL THEORY OF POLICE CORRUPTION WHICH HOLDS THAT SYSTEMATIC POLICE CORRUPTION CANNOT BE CONTROLLED. EXAMINATION OF EACH OF THE PROPOSITIONS LEADING TO THAT CONCLUSION, INCLUDING THE CONCEPT THAT SYSTEMATIC POLICE CORRUPTION IS A FUNCTION OF POLITICAL CULTURE AND TASK ENVIRONMENT AND IS BEYOND THE CONTROL OF POLICE ADMINISTRATORS, RAISES A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE VALIDITY OF THE CONCLUSION. IF IT IS ASSUMED THAT CHANGES IN THE POLICE ENVIRONMENT CAN PRODUCE CHANGES IN INTERNAL CORRUPTION CONTROL POLICY, THEN ONE MAY CONCLUDE THAT CORRUPTION CAN INDEED BE CONTROLLED, PROVIDING THAT EFFECTIVE CONTROL POLICIES EXIST. RESEARCH ON THE RESULTS OF REFORM EFFORTS IN FOUR URBAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS SUGGESTS THAT SUCH POLICIES DO EXIST. EFFECTIVE CORRUPTION CONTROL POLICIES DEAL WITH CORRUPTION AS BOTH A MANAGEMENT PROBLEM AND A CRIME. INFLUENCING CORRUPTION CONTROL EFFORTS ARE INTERNAL FACTORS (ADMINISTRATIVE AND INVESTIGATIVE) AND AN EXTERNAL FACTOR (SCANDAL). THE MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF WHETHER CORRUPTION CONTROL POLICIES ARE ACTUALLY ADOPTED IS THE ORGANIZATION'S CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES, I.E., THE PRESENCE OF EFFECTIVE MANAGERS AND FAMILIARITY WITH THE KINDS OF TECHNIQUES NEEDED TO PROBE POLICE CORRUPTION. NOTES ARE INCLUDED.