U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Blacklisting Public Contractors as an Anti-Corruption and Racketeering Strategy

NCJ Number
194309
Journal
Criminal Justice Ethics Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer/Fall 1992 Pages: 64-76
Author(s)
James B. Jacobs; Frank Anechiarico
Date Published
1992
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article examines anti-corruption and anti-racketeering efforts in New York City.
Abstract
New York City has instituted a series of reforms aimed at denying public contracts to individuals and firms that are "mob-connected" or otherwise corrupt. City authorities charged with letting contracts must consider whether: (1) the City and public authorities should attempt to deny contracts to "morally irresponsible" companies; (2) government agencies and public authorities should support law enforcement's war on organized crime and other forms of racketeering and corruption by blacklisting companies controlled by, or associated with, Cosa Nostra, regardless of whether those companies fulfill their contracts adequately; (3) such a policy can be fairly implemented; and (4) its costs in terms of administrative delay and reduced competition would be worth the advantage of keeping government free of whatever taint comes from a contractual relationship with a morally irresponsible firm. The article concludes that using blacklisting to protect the government from being victimized is sensible and should be pursued. Notes