Impact Of Police Corruption On Law Enforcement

Running head: IMPACT OF POLICE CORRUPTION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT 1

Impact of Police Corruption on Law Enforcement

[Student Name’s]

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IMPACT OF POLICE CORRUPTION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT 2

In this context, unethical behaviour is an action that is not morally upright. Unethical

behaviour is what society perceive as wrong in the in the aspect of culture and environment.

On the other hand, criminal behaviour is against the law. Moreover, criminal behaviour is

unethical. Corruption in this perspective is the abuse of power by officers for their own

private benefits. Police corruption is a global challenge that is a major challenge to good

governance. Police corruption has a negative impact on law enforcement (Maxson, Hennigan,

and Sloane, 2003).

Therefore, as a result of corruption, police fail to secure public trust in its decisions; it

fails to maintain its legitimacy and thus ceases to function effectively. The reduction of

confidence has dramatic implications for the legitimacy of policing (Hough and Roberts,

2004). Therefore, reduction in effectiveness in policing results, to reduction in the reporting

of crimes. This to some extent motivates criminals to continue breaking the law due to

reduction in the reporting of crimes (Tankebe, 2010). Consequently, police corruption has a

negative impact on law enforcement. Moreover, there is a breakdown of cooperation of

citizen and police. Thus, ethical training in the police force is essential.

This aspect brings out the relevancy on whether the corrupt law enforcement officers

should be punished less, as much as, or more severely than other criminals. Indeed it is true

law enforcement officers face ethical challenges in their career; therefore, they should be

prepared. They work in a constantly changing social context. Therefore, officers are exposed

to a numerous of ethical conflicts. It is from this perspective that society should not condemn

them forever without understanding working environment. However, they should understand

the risks of engaging in unethical behaviours. Therefore, police officer should be punished

like other criminals, not less or more.

IMPACT OF POLICE CORRUPTION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT 3

On the other hand, criminals capitalize on police corruption. Criminal may be also

another police officer. They use this opportunity of corruption to shield themselves from jail.

When arrested, criminals utilize the corruption in the police force. They bribe the police, and

they escape freely; this cycle results to increased criminal activities in the society. Therefore,

from this perspective police corruption have a negative impact on law enforcement. As in a

scenario where police officer tries to cover up another police officer, it affects the

organization in general and society, as well. The officers involved will expect that trend to

grow. This result, to a culture of corruption in the organization at all levels of departments.

Police corruption can demoralize the dedicated and faithful police officers. For

example, senior police officers who engage in corruption can victimize their juniors who

genuinely want to serve the community by uncovering any criminal activity. Therefore, such

incidences of corruption can result to inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the police force;

hence increased criminal activities (Murphy, 2009). Moreover, this culture of corruption may

spread to the whole police force. To eliminate such culture will be difficult and expensive to

carryout reform in the system.

In conclusion, from these facts, police corruption result to reduced efficiency and

effectiveness in the system of the police force. This has a negative impact on law

enforcement. Therefore, from this perspective, effective police system in the country is

essential for effective law enforcement. Moreover, public confidence on police system has a

great impact on law enforcement.

IMPACT OF POLICE CORRUPTION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT 4

References

Hough, M. and Roberts, J. (2004). Youth crime and youth justice: public opinion in England

and Wales. Criminal Policy Monograph. Bristol: Policy Press.

Maxson, C., Hennigan, K. and Sloane, D. (2003). Factors that influence public opinion of the

police. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs,

National Institute of Justice.

Murphy, K. (2009). Public satisfaction with the police: the importance of procedural justice

and police performance in police-citizen encounters. The Australian and New Zealand

Journal of Criminology, 42, 159–178

Tankebe, J. (2010). Public confidence in the police: testing the effects of public experiences

of police corruption in Ghana. British Journal of Criminology, 50, 296–319.

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