POLICE CORRUPTION IS DEFINED AS A MODE OF BEHAVIOR THAT IS CHOSEN FOR THE PERSONALLY DESIRABLE REWARDS IT WILL OSTENSIBLY PROVIDE, AND INVOLVES A MISUSE OF THE AUTHORITY OF A POLICE OFFICER'S OCCUPATIONAL ROLE. REALIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLANATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE CONTROL TECHNIQUES, THE AUTHOR OFFERS AN EXPLANATION OF A THEORETICAL MODEL. ELABORATION OF THIS MODEL INVOLVES AN INCLUSION OF THE PROPOSITIONS OF THEORIES OF SOCIAL LEARNING, ROLE THEORY, AND LAWLESSNESS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE A MORE THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS PROCESSES INVOLVED IN POLICE CORRUPTION. THE MODEL SUGGESTS THAT CORRUPTION ARISES THROUGH A PROCESS OF INTERACTION DURING WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER LEARNS SUCH BEHAVIOR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESPONSES OF OTHERS. ROLE THEORY IS USED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MOTIVATING FORCES BEHIND CORRUPT BEHAVIOR. FOLLOWING A DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED THEORETICAL BASIS FOR CORRUPTION, VARIOUS RESEARCH SUGGESTIONS ARE OFFERED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...KAP