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Public Corruption Aimee
Critical Essay Analysis

Public Corruption

Aimee L. Romero

Kaplan University

CJ340-02: Applied Criminal Justice Ethics
1102C March 2011 Term

Instructor: Lance Oakland

Abstract

Corruption is clearly everywhere around us with many forms and is a world-wide crisis. A day doesn’t go by that there isn’t a report in the media about some form of corruption by someone famous or internationally known, a Politian or an average every day citizen just perhaps looking for attention. Like a soap opera you’ve missed keeping up on for months, you can almost always turn the TV on and pick up right where you left off. My awareness of the most common form of corruption happens between the police and government.

Is Corruption my problem? “Corruption is a Western concept and is not applicable to traditional societies, where corruption does not have such a negative meaning. Many traditional societies with a “gift culture” have a different understanding of civil responsibilities and etiquette. The social structure and political traditions of many countries are based on the beneficial exchange of rewards for services rendered, and cannot survive in its absence.” (source: idebate.org) The way I viewed corruption prior to writing this essay was that corruption was not my problem and avoiding the topic makes it go away. I couldn’t be more wrong in believing that if I don’t cause any problems then why I should worry about it. Following different varieties of corruption over the years in general, I find that the older I get the worse it gets. How can I be blind to the problem and believe that I can’t do anything. The definition of corruption more specifically I found in the research is, “Corruption is the abuse of power by a public official for private gain. The causes and effects of corruption, and how to combat corruption, are issues that are increasingly on the national and international agendas



References: Delattre, Edwin J. (2006).Character and Cops: Ethics in Policing. 5th ed. p. Cm. Washington, D.C. Harrison, Brigid C./ Dye, Thomas R Wolfgang, Marvin E., and Franco Ferracuti.(1967). The Subculture of Violence.London: Tavistock.

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