Essay on The Problem of Police Corruption - 951 Words

Illinois and most notably Chicago are best known for their corrupt public officials. From the days of Cermak and the Daley political machine, corruption has become second nature to these â€Å"public servants†. From rigging elections to accepting ‘dirty’ donations to the alderman’s campaigns, corruption can be found from the very top of the political layer, down to the lowest government position. Those involved in the corruption have benefited greatly from their dirty deeds. Public residents aren’t directly aware of this corruption since they aren’t public officials, but most can attest to corruption when it involves the local police officers and the exploitation of the public. Although corruption has a basic generic definition, it is†¦show more content†¦Dr. Hollist is a professor at the University of Montana and teaches criminology and other sociology courses. In regards to the progression of corruption, Dr. Hollist has documented that â€Å"Scholars have argued that there is a progression into serious corruption and they have identified two Types of corrupt officers. Grass Eaters [depict] a corrupt officer who passively accepts gratuities. Meat Eaters [depict] a corrupt officer who aggressively solicits bribes.† (Hollist). Hollist is examining a small scope of the nature of police corruption. In addition to Hollist’s identification of corrupt officers, Lawrence Sherman in his book, An Introduction to Policing, â€Å"There are three general categories or levels of corruption within police departments (Lawrence Sherman, as cited in Dempsey and Forst 2005, 299). The first level is†the rotten apples and rotten pockets† theory of police corruption, which holds that only one officer or a very small group of officers in a department or precinct, is corrupt. With this theory, because there is no widespread corruption within the police department, the organization might not do anything to combat these corruption acts. The second level of corruption that occurs in departments is known as†pervasive, unorganized corruption† (Dempsey and Forst 2005, 299). With this form ofShow MoreRelatedPolice Corruption Has Become A Major Problem1473 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout history, polic e corruption has become a major problem in the United States. It is defined as a form of police misconduct that involves the act of either a single officer, or a group of officers who abuse their powers to achieve personal or departmental gains. From as early as the nineteenth century, corruption has not only affected law enforcement agencies, but also our continuously changing society. 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