An Examination of Police Corruption Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

The integrity of law enforcement officers is essential to an impartial and effective justice system. However, on occasion, law enforcement officers betray the principles they swear to uphold, resulting in what is commonly referred to as police corruption. The results may include corrosion of trust with the officer, the agency, a community, and the justice system as a whole. Police corruption may come in many forms: excessive use of force, theft, misappropriation of public funds, false testimony, and more. Addressing the concerns related to police corruption is especially important as worldwide crime rates are dramatically changing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and policing has become the focus of United States politics after several high-profile deaths leading many to call for defunding police agencies. This chapter will examine the problem of police corruption and available data sources on the topic. Next, it will utilize the theory of planned behavior to examine how three components-behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs-merge and form an intention to commit a corrupt act. Once a thorough application has been completed, this chapter examines the policy implications, guiding police employers to detect corrupt intentions before and during employment. Lastly, methods to alter the subjective norms of corruption within an agency and strengthen the perceived behavioral controls are discussed as a means to change corruption within an agency. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)