Theories Of Police Corruption

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This essay will utilize the ideas gained in the course to depict current theories identified within the ethics inside of the field of criminal justice. Additionally, the essay will address and clarify in detail the definition of slippery slope and its relationship to gratuities and examples of each of the following theories in police corruption: society at large hypothesis, structural or affiliation hypothesis and rotten apple hypothesis. Regarding open trust for law enforcement, recent surveys demonstrate that only 56 percent of individuals evaluated the police as having a high ethical standard as contrasted with 84 percent for nurses. (Martin, 2011) O. W. Wilson describes slippery slope in the police department as corruption that starts …show more content…

(Delattre, 2011) Additionally, leaders who don 't have a grip or control over their department and are generally inadequate might advance corruption. The expression blue wall or blue code are terms utilized as the unwritten rule that exists among officers to not report an account of an associate 's mistakes, misconduct or crimes, including police brutality. (Carter, 2011) It’s the veteran police officers who cover up corruption activities within the police department. Arthur Niederhoffer, creator of Behind the Shield: The Police in Urban Society, recounted the instance of a Denver policeman involved in the police burglary scandal of 1961, he stated that he learned from senior officers when he was a rookie officer to take settlements or play offs. (Delattre, 2011) The sentiment pride disappears, and an indication of disgrace grabs hold; one thing prompts to another for the rookie police …show more content…

(Delattre, 2011) An officer who is considered a rotten apple can be involved in the selling of illegal substances, robbery, murder and other serious crimes. Under these circumstances police officers turn into the very things, that they are trying to prevent. According to the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by Anthony V. Bouza, research demonstrates that the character of an officer is the most significant component of their capacity to serve and secure with honesty and integrity. (Bouza, 1972) In the past, an assessment of a potential recruit’s character included neighborhood checks, where upwards of ten individuals from the community were questioned about the recruit’s propensities and personality, as well as surveys to past employers, managers, schools, military or draft and other authority offices. (Bouza, 1972) An instance of the rotten apple hypothesis, the discovery of the River Cops and others in Miami, Fla., which prompted the removal of one tenth of the department. (Delattre, 2011) In that year, officials hired two hundred new officers, the new comers or rookies were not adequately supervised or trained; these officers with less than a year experience were promoted to field training officers were able to make recommendations for other officers.

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