NCJ Number
110012
Date Published
1988
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Regulatory agency corruption often involves lower level officials working alone in the field and is, therefore, often difficult to detect.
Abstract
Criminal investigation of such corruption usually commences when the criminal enforcement branch of the regulatory agency receives a complaint about a public official, when it receives information from a public official, or when it uncovers corruption during internal investigations. Investigative techniques may include electronic surveillance, undercover operations, or the use of cooperative targets of the corrupt official. Once uncovered, such cases are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office under statutes covering bribery, conspiracy, corruption, extortion, and economic coercion in the U.S. Criminal Code. Because juries find such cases unappealing and tend to perceive the payer of a bribe as a victim, problems often are encountered in prosecution. Prosecutorial effectiveness can be increased by providing corroborative evidence and focusing on the betrayal of public trust, danger to the public, and unfair economic advantage involved in regulatory corruption.