NCJ Number
133121
Date Published
1992
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Police administrators are confronted with many critical goals, but few are more important than eliminating corruption.
Abstract
Historically, the corruption of law enforcement in the United States parallels that of corrupt politicians, especially those of the 19th century. Until recently, many police officials were reluctant to discuss corruption. A major reason for this was that discussing corruption meant impugning the integrity of honest police officers. Currently, however, it is felt that refusal to openly discuss corruption may have negative effects on police officers. Defining corruption is an essential step in assessing the extent and nature of police corruption. The most acceptable definition of police corruption is any act involving the misuse of authority that results in a law enforcement officer receiving a material reward or violating criminal laws. According to a nationwide survey, there are three ways of controlling police corruption: administrative control, control by the media, and control by "watchdog" groups. Experts responding to this survey indicated that administrative control is most effective when it is coupled with internal investigation. The corruption of public officials by organized crime is discussed along with police corruption in New York City and Philadelphia. 25 references and 4 figures