Preview

Public Corruption Aimee

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
836 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Public Corruption Aimee
Critical Essay Analysis

Public Corruption

Aimee L. Romero

Kaplan University

CJ340-02: Applied Criminal Justice Ethics
1102C March 2011 Term

Instructor: Lance Oakland

Abstract

Corruption is clearly everywhere around us with many forms and is a world-wide crisis. A day doesn’t go by that there isn’t a report in the media about some form of corruption by someone famous or internationally known, a Politian or an average every day citizen just perhaps looking for attention. Like a soap opera you’ve missed keeping up on for months, you can almost always turn the TV on and pick up right where you left off. My awareness of the most common form of corruption happens between the police and government.

Is Corruption my problem? “Corruption is a Western concept and is not applicable to traditional societies, where corruption does not have such a negative meaning. Many traditional societies with a “gift culture” have a different understanding of civil responsibilities and etiquette. The social structure and political traditions of many countries are based on the beneficial exchange of rewards for services rendered, and cannot survive in its absence.” (source: idebate.org) The way I viewed corruption prior to writing this essay was that corruption was not my problem and avoiding the topic makes it go away. I couldn’t be more wrong in believing that if I don’t cause any problems then why I should worry about it. Following different varieties of corruption over the years in general, I find that the older I get the worse it gets. How can I be blind to the problem and believe that I can’t do anything. The definition of corruption more specifically I found in the research is, “Corruption is the abuse of power by a public official for private gain. The causes and effects of corruption, and how to combat corruption, are issues that are increasingly on the national and international agendas



References: Delattre, Edwin J. (2006).Character and Cops: Ethics in Policing. 5th ed. p. Cm. Washington, D.C. Harrison, Brigid C./ Dye, Thomas R Wolfgang, Marvin E., and Franco Ferracuti.(1967). The Subculture of Violence.London: Tavistock.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Police corruption has plagued this country for decades. Whether it's done out of need or greed, it affects every community and has tarnished the image of police departments across the country. Community relations are a vital part of police work and without it officers have a hard time doing their job. Corruption causes distrust and prevents officer from getting cooperation from the public. Police corruption has been glorified and documented in several movies throughout the years. It has been shown in old westerns with crooked sheriffs to more recent movies where corruption is seen from the lowest officer to the highest government officials. The reasoning for the corruption varies from character to character, however the end result is usually the same; either the officer pays or those around him do.…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Police corruption has been around since there has been police. Two of the key elements of police corruption is misuse of authority and personal gain (Walker & Katz, 2011, p. 425). There are many types of corruption in a police department. First, gratuities in which are the most common form, whether you are taking free food from the gas station or a discount or your dry cleaning this can be considered as a form corruption. Some police departments prohibit gratuity and some do not. You have isolated acts that happen while a police officer is performing their duties, such as when a police officer takes money to protect a drug headquarters, which is called a bribe. There are lower forms of bribes where police take money from people to not write traffic summons and then there higher forms of bribes where police sell material from criminal cases. Third, you have theft and burglary which is a very serious form of corruption. Stealing money and property from drunken people is theft. There are also police officers that steal property from the police department’s property room. Internal corruption is when a police officer must bargain the best assignments or promotion with bribes.…

    • 1844 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The law enforcement agent, that represents government, bears the heavy responsibility of maintaining, in his own conduct and the honor and integrity of all government institutions. He, consequently, shall guard against placing himself in a position in which any person can expect special consideration or in which the public can reasonably assume that this special consideration is being given. Accordingly, he should be firm in refusing any type of gifts, favors, or gratuities, large or small, which can, in the public mind, be interpreted as being capable of influencing his judgment in the discharge of his duties.…

    • 2483 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ethical Law Enforcement

    • 2228 Words
    • 9 Pages

    I chose this subject because I feel that before embarking on a career in law enforcement it is fundamental to understand how to play by the book without getting ostracized by ones peers. The purpose of this paper is to outline proper behavior while paying attention to factors that will effectively limit corruption.…

    • 2228 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Police corruption seems to be a problem in the United States as well as most of the world. The simplest explanation why corruption exists is that the police officers are human beings and as such are prone to give in to temptation. Another widely held opinion is that the officers don’t get enough pay. No matter what are the reasons police corruption is abuse of authority and power; it is also betraying to the public trust. The researches proved that in socioeconomic disadvantage countries the percentage of corruption is higher. Countries like Zealand, Denmark, Finland and Canada has very few cases of corruption (pg. 176). Then we have countries like Afghanistan, Hungary and Pakistan where the corruption level is very high. According to…

    • 272 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Police Corruption Essay

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages

    According to Holloway (2002) corruption can be of two types: internal and external. Internal corruption is a corrupt agreement that can take place among a group of police officers and may involve major changes or decisions of administrative policies that are inappropriate and illegal. Internal politics and unjustified removal of officials, or carrying out behavior within prison situations that may not be completely legal or even releasing prisoners by accepting a bribe given to a group of police officials are all part of internal corruption which accounts for a failure of an entire police system and can involve several policemen or police of one state or region. External means of corruption can be payoffs to police by non-criminal elements like paying of bribes for repeated viola-tions of traffics rules, paying off to police for repeated violation of law as done by prostitutes, narcotics peddlers and burglars; and indirect bribes where special favors are given to police to get special services in turn. Analyzing issues of personal gain, corrupt uses of police professional authority, unjustified use of authority as policemen and inappropriate or improper conduct, Sayed and Bruce (1998) describe in detail are elements that go on to make up…

    • 458 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    3. Perito, D. B. (2011, November). Police Corruption: What Past Scandals Teach Us About Current Challenges. Retrieved from United States Institute of Peace: http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/resources/SR%20294.pdf…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nypd Corruption

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Police corruption is a problem that has and will continue to affect us all, whether we are civilian or law enforcement officers. An examination of any newspapers or police-related publications on any given day will have an article about an officer that got busted committing some kind of illegal act. Since its beginnings, many aspects of it have changed, however, a lot of it remains and it seems to just keep growing. Even though being a policeman is one of the most commendable and honorable professions in society, there have been certain instances that demonstrate misconduct and corruption in terms of unethical violence, illegal drug abuse, bribery and unjustified arrests.…

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Criminal Justice

    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Dempsey, J. S., & Forst, L. S. (2013). Police ethics and police deviance . An introduction to policing (7th ed., pp. 242-243).…

    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Police Corruption

    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In Edwin J. Deltarres' book Character and Cops he explores three hypotheses for police corruption in the United States. Some are somewhat historical, but they are still relevant to the problem of corruption today. The first hypothesis is called "the society at-large" theory by former Chicago Police Superintendent O. W. Wilson. Wilson was superintendent of the Chicago Police Department during the early nineteen sixties. The second hypothesis is called the "structural" theory. The third is called "the rotten apple theory." I will provide a brief analysis of the three hypotheses in this essay and examine which one(s) is valid today.…

    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Police Corruption Paper

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Corruption through the ranks of the United States Criminal Justice System is detrimental to the ethics of the justice system as a whole. Police corruption is undoubtedly a complex phenomenon which affects all parties within a society. A majority of officers show great control and use their authority responsibly and for the overall good of the community. However, there are a few officers and departments who have been engrossed by corruption and abuse their authority, highlighting the importance of discussing the unethical behavior that is corruption. Police corruption can generally be defined as law enforcement personnel who used their position and authority for personal gain rather than for the benefit of the public. Corrupt behaviors can include the activities of accepting unauthorized gratuities, bribes, theft, and extortion. Police corruption can occur internally or externally and…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Police corruption can be dated back to the 1890’s. This is still a major problem with many police agencies as of today. There are some cases where the officers are being paid off by the drug dealers. Police corruption can be resolved by tighten supervision, increasing the rules and by the amount of paperwork.…

    • 1164 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Policing

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages

    According to an article written by Pauline Go, a very good example of police corruption is the Rampart Scandal of the late 1990s. More than 70 policemen were caught misbehaving. “The anti-gang unit of the LAPD Rampart Division was held responsible for police misconduct that included planting of evidence, framing suspect, stealing and dealing narcotics, covering of evidence, unprovoked shootings and beatings.” (Pauline Go). After this situation, in May 2001, a policeman named Rafael Perez confessed his part in the corruption and the Rampart investigation suspended 12 officers, resigned 7 officers, terminated 5 officers, and implicated over 70 officers for doing wrong.…

    • 957 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Political Corruption

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages

    • Eradication of corruption should be the nation’s number-one priority in view of the ever-increasing horizon of political and administrative corruption and its baneful multifarious effects on the society-at-large. It needs to be understood by all that eradication of corruption is only possible if strong political commitment exists. Without strong political commitment, bureaucratic reorientation and a vibrant and effective civil society, checking corruption turns into a very difficult almost impossible task.…

    • 299 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Corruption

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages

    1. Nana Akufo-Addo has hit hard at the ruling nation Democratic congress saying corruption has now became a raging epidemic.…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays