NCJ Number
13299
Date Published
1973
Length
72 pages
Annotation
INSIGHTS INTO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL NATURE OF POLICE CORRUPTION AND THE EXISTENCE OF MANY TYPES OF CORRUPT PRACTICES.
Abstract
THIS DOCUMENT DEVELOPS AN EMPIRICAL TYPOLOGY OF POLICE CORRUPTION DERIVED FROM A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE (1960-1972) AND THE POLICE WORK EXPERIENCE OF ONE OF THE WRITERS. POLICE CORRUPTION IS ANALYZED, NOT AS THE EXCLUSIVE DEVIANT BEHAVIOR OF A FEW 'ROTTEN APPLES,' BUT AS A FORM OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE HINGING PRIMARILY ON INFORMAL POLICE PEER GROUP NORMS. CONTRADICTIONS AMONG FORMAL NORMS, INFORMAL NORMS, AND SITUATIONAL RULES ARE INDICATED. EIGHT TYPES OF POLICE CORRUPTION ARE DELINEATED - (1) CORRUPTION OF AUTHORITY, (2) KICKBACKS, (3) OPPORTUNISTIC THEFT - FROM ARRESTEES, VICTIMS, CRIME SCENES, AND UNPROTECTED PROPERTY, (4) SHAKEDOWNS, (5) PROTECTION OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, (6) THE FIX, (7) DIRECT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, AND (8) INTERNAL PAYOFFS. THE TYPES ARE ANALYZED ALONG SEVERAL DIMENSIONS - (1) ACTS AND ACTORS, (2) NORM VIOLATIONS, (3) SUPPORT FROM PEER GROUP, (4) ORGANIZATIONAL DEGREE OF DEVIANT PRACTICES, AND (5) POLICE DEPARTMENT'S REACTIONS. THE SUGGESTED DYNAMIC TYPOLOGY ALONG WITH A FOUR-STEP IMPLEMENTATION METHOD REPRESENTS A TRIANGULAR METHODOLOGY, I.E. A SERIES OF COMMON DATA BASES, A RELIABLE SAMPLING MODEL THAT RECOGNIZES INTERACTION, A SERIES OF EMPIRICAL INDICATORS FOR EACH DATA BASE, AND A SERIES OF TESTABLE CONCEPTUALIZATIONS. THIS MANUSCRIPT IS DIRECTED TO CRIMINOLOGISTS, STUDENTS OF DEVIANT BEHAVIOR, POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, ACADEMICIANS AND ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, ESPECIALLY LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR POLICE POLICY AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION. (SNI ABSTRACT)