Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Withrow, B. L. & Dailey, J. D. (2004). A model of circumstantial corruptibility. Police Quarterly, 7(2), 159-178. 

With notable exceptions, previous explanations and typologies of police corruption tend to associate the potential social harm of gratuity giving with the relative monetary value of the gratuity and focus culpability for this form of corruption primarily on the police officer. The model presented herein amends Kania’s typology and expands our understanding of corruption by (a) focusing on the importance of the power dynamic between givers and receivers and (b) discounting the importance of the relative value of a gratuity when determining the level of corruption. Policy recommendations and suggestions for subsequent research consistent with the model are presented.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. What are the various theories of police corruption as explained by the article?
2. Why does the author argue that insufficient attention has been given to gratuities as a form of police corruption?   Do you agree with the author?  Why or why not?
3. What are some of the different policy recommendations that go along with the author’s proposed model?  Do you think these recommendations will be effective?  Why or why not?

***

Maher, T. M. (2003). Police sexual misconduct: Officers' perceptions of its extent and causality. Criminal Justice Review, 28(2), 355-381. 

This article reports on a survey of police officers in 14 different agencies in four countries in the St. Louis metropolitan area.  Results from a self-administered questionnaire followed by an oral interview indicate that officers reported sexual misconduct to be common and reveal a broad consensus among officers that the more serious forms of this behavior should not be tolerated.  Nevertheless, none of the departments studies was found to have a formal policy specifically proscribing sexual misconduct, and criminal justice officials have done little to help control the problem, suggesting that this problem may in part be fostered by the police subculture.  The conclusion explores policy implications within law enforcement and suggests the need for increased attention from researchers and from criminal justice officials and personnel.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. What are officer’s general feelings about serious forms of sexual misconduct by fellow officers?  Do they agree this behavior should be dealt with in a certain way?
2. How might sexual misconduct issues be fostered in part by the police subculture?
3. What valuable information do the author’s say has been gained from respondent’s answers in regards to the development and adoption of formal anti-sexual misconduct policies?

***

Peak, K. J., Stitt, B. G., & Glensor, R. W. (1998). Ethical considerations in community policing and problem solving. Police Quarterly, 1(3), 19-34.

Although the literature concerning community-oriented policing and problem solving (COPPS) is rapidly growing, very little has been written concerning its relationship with ethics-a relationship that is critical to the success of COPPS. Many academics and practitioners are concerned that the potential for ethical dilemmas is increased with the shift to COPPS, given the nature of ethics training, decentralization, expanded discretionary authority and officers’ greater proximity to citizens. This article discusses ethics in general as well as police ethics and ethical considerations under COPPS. In addition to academics and police practitioners, this information should also be useful to citizens, who demand and expect ethical behavior from their police. Included are four case studies of situations that are likely to occur within a COPPS framework; each scenario is accompanied by an ethical analysis of the situation.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. What is moral theory and how does it apply to ethic in criminal justice?
2. Explain the importance and relevance of the relationship between community-oriented policing and ethics.
3. How might the ethical dilemmas police officers face be different under a community-oriented policing strategy vs. a more traditional police-community relationship?

***

Heffernan, W. C. (1982). Two approaches to police ethics. Criminal Justice Review, 7(1), 28-35.

Two kinds of problems are encountered in police ethics, and different approaches are needed for each. The first set of issues centers around integrity: taking bribes, giving perjured testimony, or inflicting serious harm on suspects through use of illegal force. These are instances of obvious misconduct. For that reason, the approach police officers need is not ethical analysis (in most cases that would be superfluous) but instead one that focuses on creating in officers the disposition to do what is right. By contrast, the second set involves hard choices in law enforcement, with ethical analysis thus needed to supplement our uncertain judgments of right and wrong. Furthermore, analysis can also help pre-service criminal justice students acquire the skills needed to make informed judgments of their own about the hard choices they will later encounter as police officers. Both approaches can be expected to play important roles in the education of police personnel as law enforcement continues its development toward professional maturity.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. Discuss the differences between the two approaches discussed in the article.
2. Which of the two differences make the most sense for officers on a daily basis?
3. When do officers face more ethical issues?  Why is this a concern?