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The Causes of Police Corruption and Working towards Prevention in Conflict-Stricken States

Author

Listed:
  • Danny Singh

    (Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough TS1 3BX, UK)

Abstract

The police are the initial faces of law enforcement and commence the criminal justice process and thus hold significant responsibility for functioning law and order. As key representatives of the state, the integrity of the police in all societies is pivotal to retain public trust in the rule of law and the preservation of internal security. When police corruption is exposed or is perceived by the public to be prevalent, confidence in and communal relations with the police force become disjointed. Poor credibility of the police also negatively impacts on the legitimacy of the government. Negative public perceptions of both the police and government are particularly troublesome in violently divided societies or states undergoing armed conflict. The article focuses on the main causes and consequences of police corruption in hostile environments to introduce a range of prevention strategies to combat it and restore public confidence in policing and governance. The article suggests that a holistic anticorruption strategy, rather than a linear one, has the potential to raise awareness, increase pay to deter petty forms of corruption, install independent anticorruption agencies, and periodically rotate police officers to increase police integrity and loyalty for the host country. It is recommended that these multifaceted prevention strategies are needed within a police force that is faced with a violently divided society to reaffirm public support and deter support for armed anti-governmental oppositional groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Danny Singh, 2022. "The Causes of Police Corruption and Working towards Prevention in Conflict-Stricken States," Laws, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlawss:v:11:y:2022:i:5:p:69-:d:901946
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hossein Askari & Scheherazade Sabina Rehman & Noora Arfaa, 2010. "Corruption and its Manifestation in the Persian Gulf," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12946.
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    Cited by:

    1. Waiphot Kulachai & Sutham Cheurprakobkit, 2023. "Why Do People Trust the Police? A Case Study of Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Carlos Bethencourt & Fernando Perera‐Tallo, 2025. "Foreign aid and corruption: Unveiling the obstacles to effective development," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 91(3), pages 881-914, January.
    3. Alvin M. Tamayo, 2025. "Trust and Perceived Safety in Relation to Satisfaction with Police Services," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(6), pages 1359-1371, June.
    4. Layoni M. Mwanyika & J. Katunzi, 2025. "Motivation and Performance Management of Police Officers in Tanzania: A Case of Dar es Salaam Zone," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 15(3), pages 159-168.
    5. Azmaine FAEIQUE & Nahin Rahman SAMI & Most. Suraia Akter SHIKHA & Md Asfak Mahbub SAJJAD & Md Tazrian Hassan RAMIM & Sheikh Jannatunnessa SHRABONI, 2025. "Evaluating the Reform Proposals of Police Reform Commission 2024: A Step Towards Accountable Policing in Dhaka, Bangladesh," APPLIED RESEARCH IN ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 6(3), pages 30-45, December.
    6. Fida Muhammad Khan, 2025. "Judicial and Legal Reforms in Pakistan 1947-2024: A Brief Review," PIDE-Working Papers 2025:6, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    7. David L. Suber, 2023. "Corruption and Bribery at the Border: Strategies of Survival and Adaptation between People Smugglers and Border Enforcement," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 709(1), pages 65-85, September.

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