NCJ Number: 45256
Title: CLOSED FRATERNITY OF POLICE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CORRUPT ATTITUDE
Author(s): H BEIGEL
Date Published: 1977
Annotation: THE PHENOMENON OF POLICE CORRUPTION IS EXAMINED FROM THE VIEWPOINTS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CORRUPTION AND THE PART OF THE POLICE WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; A CASE STUDY ILLUSTRATES THE POLICE OFFICER'S ROLE.
Abstract: CORRUPTION IN POLICE WORK IS AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM BECAUSE FEW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS GIVE AS MUCH POWER AND DISCRETION TO THOSE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HIERARCHY. THE ENORMOUS POWER AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER, THEREFORE, MAKES IT IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AND IDENTIFY THOSE ASPECTS OF THE POLICE SYSTEM WHICH DEVELOP CORRUPT ATTITUDES. ATTITUDES OF THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER AND OF THE POLICE AS A WHOLE ARE THE IMMEDIATE CAUSES OF CORRUPTION. A POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY INADVERTENTLY MAINTAIN THE EXISTENCE OF MANY CORRUPT PRACTICES AND EVEN ENCOURAGE THEIR FURTHER EXPANSION. CHARACTERISTIC OF THE BUREAUCRATIC IMPETUS GIVEN TO CORRUPTION ARE THE MANNER IN WHICH PROMOTIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS ARE OFTEN HANDLED AND THE PRESENCE OF AN IMPLICIT CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE TO INHIBIT CHANGE AND REFORM. BECAUSE RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO DEVELOPING A POSITIVE POLICE MORALITY, HOW AN OFFICER REACHES A COMMAND POSITION AND WHAT ATTITUDES HE DEVELOPS AS HE IS PROMOTED ARE ADDITIONAL FACTORS IN DISCOVERING THE REASON FOR THE EASE WITH WHICH CORRUPTION FINDS A PERMANENT NICHE IN A POLICE FORCE. THE INTRODUCTION OF CIVIL SERVICE PROCEDURES IN MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAS FURTHER EXACERBATED THE CORRUPTION PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INBRED POLICE HIERARCHY. THE CAUSE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CORRUPT ATTITUDES IN AN INSULATED POLICE HIERARCHY MAY BE FOUND IN THE PECULIAR PLACE POLICE HAVE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COURTS CAN CREATE TENSION AND FRICTION WHICH MAY AFFECT THE WAY THEY EXERCISE THE DISCRETION THEY ARE GIVEN. THE POLICE ROLE AS A SEPARATE, DISTINCT PART OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN BE SEEN IN THE PATROL OFFICER'S DAILY ACTIVITIES ON THE BEAT: HE DEVELOPS AN ATTITUDE INFUSED WITH POWER, CONTROL, AND THE DESIRE TO MASTER EVERY SITUATION REGARDLESS OF ITS LACK OF RELEVANCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. BECAUSE HIS 'KEEPER-OF-THE-PEACE' ROLE IS SO CRITICAL TO A POLICE OFFICER'S SELF-IMAGE, IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY HIS AUTHORITY IS OFTEN RESISTANT TO CONTROL, CHECKS, AND INTERFERENCE BY OUTSIDERS, INCLUDING THE COURTS, OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, OR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONS. HOW A MORAL STANCE CONDUCIVE TO CORRUPTION MAY EVOLVE FROM A POLICE OFFICER'S DEALINGS WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ILLUSTRATED BY A CASE IN WHICH EVIDENCE AGAINST A BOOKIE WAS GATHERED IN A RAID THAT MAY HAVE BEEN STAGED SOLELY TO ALLAY SUSPICIONS OF POLICE CORRUPTION: THE EVIDENCE WAS HELD INADMISSIBLE BY A JUDGE AND OTHER CHARGES WERE DROPPED BY THE PROSECUTION. THE POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE RAID WHICH PRODUCED THE EVIDENCE ARE SEEN AS EITHER HAVING BEEN MANIPULATED BY OR HAVING MANIPULATED THE SYSTEM: IN EITHER CASE, THE OFTEN DIVERGENT GOALS OF POLICE WORK AND THE REST OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE APPARENT. WAYS IN WHICH POLICE OFFICERS HAVE LEARNED TO HANDLE TESTIFYING IN COURT MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR A JUDGE OR A JURY TO DETERMINE POLICE CREDIBILITY; ALL CHECKS AND BALANCES WHICH THE JUDICIAL PROCESS SEEKS TO PLACE ON ILLEGAL OR IMPROPER POLICE BEHAVIOR OFTEN HAVE LITTLE EFFECT SIMPLY BECAUSE AN EXPERIENCED OFFICER CAN LEARN HOW TO USE THE JUDICIAL PROCESS TO SERVE HIS ILLEGAL OBJECTIVES. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT IF THE PUBLIC CONTINUES TO VIEW ITS POLICE AS THE REPOSITORY OF UNLIMITED POWER AND IF THE POLICE VIEW THEMSELVES AS AN ISOLATED WORK FORCE, FREE FROM EXTERNAL CONTROL, THEN THE CORRUPTION OF POWER WILL CONTINUE UNABATED. (DAS)
Index Term(s): Police attitudes; Police corruption; Police court relations; Police organizational structure
Grant Number: 75-NI-99-0083
Sponsoring Agency: John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Corporate Author: John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Sale Source: John Jay Press
Page Count: 43
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Note: CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER MONOGRAPHS, N 8
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