Discussion Chapter on "Law Enforcement Corruption Controlling Corruption Internally Police"

Discussion Chapter 4 pages (1188 words) Sources: 2

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Law Enforcement Corruption

Controlling Corruption Internally

Police corruption is something which occurs in all countries to some extent and is largely a byproduct of a system which is flawed in a multi-faceted manner. When corruption runs rampant within a police force, it's generally a result of shoddy leadership, superficial culture and a system which lacks transparency and accountability (Newham, 2011). Corruption is something which is able to flourish not simply as a result of opportunity and greed, but because of a climate within police forces that prizes loyalty over integrity, along with leaders who turn a blind eye, out of a sense of denial, or willfully or as a result of those in leadership positions who are more afraid of the results of a corruption scandal than of corruption itself (Newham, 2011). In order to control corruption internally there needs to completely transparent means of accountability and ways for all members within a police force to monitor one another. Furthermore, the chief and his attitude make a tremendous difference within an organization as the chief sets an example, and sets the tone of the climate within a police force. The police chief is the one who let's everyone know what is more important and more valuable, integrity or loyalty.

Internal affairs units should be staffed with individuals who have high levels of integrity and who are led by people or a person who exudes positive leadership. They should be managed with a high level of transparency following a code of ethics that is clear and known to all members.

Police subculture, known as the blue curtain, which values secrecy and loyalty to its members exists as a result of mistrust of the public and a general "us" vs. "them" mentality (Chambliss, 2011). The blue curtain can be opened by reminding members that their fundamental loyalty is to the citizens they seek to protect. Furthermore, establishing an atmosphere of "zero tolerance" for corruption, and living up to it, is another way to ensure a police force values honor and veracity over all else.

Theories of Police Corruption

The three main theories of police corruption are: sociological, sociocultural, and organizational. "Sociological theories emphasize the code, solidarity, and norms of the police culture that contribute to the opportunity for police corruption. The occupational subculture is a major factor for not only creating police corruption by initiating police officers into corrupt activities, but also by sustaining and covering up corrupt activities by other officers" (Chambliss, 2011). As alluded to earlier, an "us" vs. "them" mentality can create an atmosphere where nearly all of the behavior of police is permissible and justifiable.

The sociocultural theory of corruption explains that a few officers gradually descend into corruption via a range of misdeeds which they rationalize away (Chambliss, 2011).Others posit, in an organizational theory of corruption, that the structure of police forces, which are incredibly bureaucratic and have a quasi-military structure are actually conducive to corruption occurring and largely become tolerant of it.

In my opinion, the theory which makes the most sense is the sociological theory because this theory explains that the climates of many police forces are that which can foster a sense of permissibility of corruption. According to the sociological theory, it's too easy for police officers to create a collective mentality where they have special status as crime fighters and law enforcers and thus they should be allowed certain liberties. As discussed earlier, the "us" vs. "them" mentality can be a breeding ground for corruption and a carte blanche to instill officers with a feeling of entitlement… READ MORE

How to Reference "Law Enforcement Corruption Controlling Corruption Internally Police" Discussion Chapter in a Bibliography

Related Discussion Chapters:

International Law and Human Trafficking Thesis

International Law and Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking in the World

Human trafficking is the forcible transport of persons to other countries to render sexual or other services (Herro 2006). About… read more

Thesis 10 pages (3756 words) Sources: 10 Style: MLA Topic: Crime / Police / Criminal Justice

---

Criminal Justice/Forensics Undercover Thesis

Criminal Justice/Forensics

Undercover" is a term that has made its way into the public vernacular, thanks in large part to movies and television programs. Undercover, at its fundamental level, means… read more

Thesis 35 pages (11198 words) Sources: 10 Style: APA Topic: Crime / Police / Criminal Justice

---

Afghanistan Is a Natural Crossroad for Invaders Term Paper

Afghanistan is a natural crossroad for invaders. It is predominantly Muslim, 77% of whom live in the rural areas. They are also called Pakhtuns. With the overthrow of the Soviets… read more

Term Paper 10 pages (2870 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Terrorism / Extremism / Radicalization

---

Security Policy Dr. Fossett's Dental Office Term Paper

Security Policy of a Dental Office

Information Technology Security for XYZ's Dental Office will be achieved by implementing these controls, policies, procedures and standards. This approved Security policy reflects the… read more

Term Paper 3 pages (1254 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Computers / IT / Internet

---

Profile TP Mishra Article

When asked if she identifies as a refugee, Renuka replies that indeed she is. "I am a former refugee from Bhutan and came to Massachusetts in December of 2009." She… read more

Article 7 pages (2041 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Family / Dating / Marriage

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>