Corrupt Practices of Police and Correctional Systems
Introduction
Police corruption and brutality has come to the attention of the public due to the increasing casesof corrupt activities within the police force and correctional system. Nowadays citizens have to be careful with the way they interact with law enforcement officers because of the increased mistrust between the police and members of the public.Corruption in the police force and their abuse of power has a negative impact on the society which is greater than corruption of other governmental agencies because of their specific characteristics(Lee, Lim, Moore, and Kim, 2013). My town is with no exception because it has been characterized by police corruption and other activities that ail the police force.
Many cases of corrupt practices of the police and correctional systems have been reported in my town in the recent past. Police brutality and corrupt practices within the entire police force is a threat to the well being of the citizens of my town.“Police brutality is whereby the police or officer mandate with taking care of prisoners use excessive physical force or verbal assault and psychological intimidation against people whom they are supposed to protect” (Chaney and Robertson, 2013). Many residents in town have been assaulted by the police and other have fallen victim to the corrupt practices that are widespread in the police force. The culture of police officers is a major factor in creating police corruption because officershave been trained not to reveal the weaknesses of others and thus they sustain corruption by covering up corrupt activities by other officers. Police corruption is a complex issue because it does not submit to simple analysis and thus will continue to affect us, whether we are civilians or law enforcement officers. Investigations of police units in my town have shown evidence of many ills in the police force, for instance, tampering with exhibits, abuse of power, and enforcement of laws in a discriminatory way both in the police force and the correctional system. Many law enforcement officers in my town have been caught fabricating evidence to get convictions in very weak cases as a result of their own shoddy investigations. Police perjury is also rampant in my town and this has made it be considered a sub cultural norm because almost every police officer engages in the vice. Similarly, corruption and brutality is also widespread in correctional facilities where inmates are abused by the police. Investigations in correctional facilities in my town has revealed that inmates are brutality assaulted by correctional officers on flimsy grounds. There have been cases of body injury in correctional facilities as it is evident from the bruised bodies of inmates. Majority ofinmates who have been interviewed have accepted being brutally battered by the police and excessive use of force by correctional officers in some instances.
Recommendations
- Stakeholders in the police force should put measures in place to ensure that those officers who engage in such activities are severely punished so as to deter them and others from engaging in such activities. This will help to mitigate the problem of corruption in the police force and in correctional facilities. Both the police and the general observing public will be deterred from engaging in corruption on witnessing their counterparts being punished.
- An independent body should be set up and allowed to inspect police facilities and carry out investigation on cases of corruption and police brutality. The independent body should be given the powers to apprehend and institute criminal proceedings against those police officers who are believed to have engaged in corrupt activities. They body should also be allowed to inspect correctional facilities and take legal action against those officers who brutally abuse prisoners. This will help in ensuring that those officers are brought to book to serve as an example to others thus ending the vices.
- A law should also be made to ensure that corruption and police brutality are heavily punished. The law should spell out punitive measures that will be taken against those who engage in the above vices. Those who are found guilty of engaging in corruption and police brutality after the due process should be blacklisted and not allowed to serve in any other position in the country. This will act in deterring police and correctional officers from abusing prisoners and soliciting certain favors from members of the public.
Outline
- Introduction, police corruption and brutality have become rampant and wide spread in my town.
- Police corruption is evident from the way police handle causes that are brought before them
- Police brutality in my town is clear from the bruises that are on the bodies of the inmates
- Correctional officers brutally abuse prisoners in town as alleged by family members
- Causes of police corruption vary from greed to other issues that have not been addressed in the police force
- Police brutality is caused by the discretion and excessive powers that police officers are given.
- How the deontological theory of ethics can be used to explain police corruption and police abuse.
- Solutions to police corruption and abuse
- Recommendations on how to end police corruption and abuse
- Conclusion
References
Chaney, C., & Robertson, R. (2013). Racism and Police Brutality in America. Journal of African American Studies, 17(4), 480-505.
Lee, H., Lim, H., Moore, D. D., & Kim, J. (2013). How police organizational structure correlates with frontline officers’ attitudes toward corruption: a multilevel model. Police Practice & Research, 14(5), 386-401