Noble cause corruption

Noble cause corruption is corruption caused by the adherence to a teleological ethical system, suggesting that persons "will utilize unethical, and sometimes illegal, means to obtain a desired result,"[1] a result which appears to benefit the greater good. Where traditional corruption is defined by personal gain,[2] noble cause corruptions forms when someone is convinced of their righteousness, and will do anything within their powers to obtain or concertize the execution of righteous actions. Ultimately, noble cause corruption is police misconduct "committed in the name of good ends"[3] or neglect of due process through “a moral commitment to make the world a safer place to live."[4]

Conditions for such corruption usually begin where individuals perceive no administrative accountability, lack of morale and leadership, and the general absence of faith within the criminal justice system.[5] These conditions can be compounded by arrogance and weak supervision.[6]

Origin

In 1983, Carl Klockars critiqued the film Dirty Harry, as an example of the kinds of circumstances that seemed to justify what later became known as noble cause corruption. Within the story, three central actions demonstrate manifestations of noble cause corruption: illegal entry, torture, and murder.[7] Klockars believed this problem, which he dubbed 'the Dirty Harry problem', was a chief consideration of police work. He details how officers occasionally face problems in which they have to select between competing ethical codes. Often the choice is between legal means, which is playing by society's rules though dangerous offenders may go free, or extralegal means, which entails breaking the law to prevent truly dangerous offenders from committing additional crimes.[8]

In 1989, however, the term of "noble cause corruption" was first coined by Edwin Delattre. Delattre was troubled that police officiers might conceive of a goal or outcome that justified the use of questionable means, in particular, the use of force to obtain confessions. He argued that "some ways of acting were unacceptable no matter how noble the end." From Delattre's work, the noble cause has emerged as a problemitization for the utilitarian commitment to outcomes, for it permits a society to be protected through aggressive and illegal policing tactics.[7]

In policing

In Police Ethics it argued that some of the best officers are often the most susceptible to noble cause corruption.[9] According to professional policing literature, noble cause corruption includes "planting or fabricating evidence, lying or the fabrication and manipulation of facts on reports or through testimony in court, and generally abusing police authority to make a charge stick."[10]

According to Robert Reiner, a professor at the London School of Economics, stops based on statistical discrimination are also a form of noble cause corruption.[11]

Luna v. Massachusetts

On February 17th, 1988, officers from the Boston Police Department executed a search warrant at the home of Albert Lewin. As they entered the premises, Lewin shot and killed Officer Sherman Griffiths. Lewin was charged with murder, but charges were later dismissed when it was discovered that the affidavit for search warrant filed by Detective Carlos A. Luna was based upon false information and a fictitious informant. Luna was indicted for perjury, conspiracy and filing false police reports[12] while all of the charges against Lewin, including the murder of a police officer, were dismissed. The case outlines consequences of noble cause motivations when officers suspend the constitution and fabricate evidence in the pursuit of justice.[2][13]

In popular culture

Within the 2013 documentary film We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks, journalist James Ball suggests Julian Assange has developed noble cause corruption for he is "unable to recognize when he does things that he would deplore in others".[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bayley, Bruce. "Noble cause corruption: Do the ends justify the means?". PoliceOne. Noble cause corruption is a teleological (ends-oriented) approach to an ethical dilemma that says law enforcement professionals will utilize unethical, and sometimes illegal, means to obtain a desired result.
  2. 1 2 Rothlein, Steve. "Noble Cause Corruption". Public Agency Training Council. Traditional corruption is defined as the use of one’s official position for personal gain. The personal gain can be economic or otherwise, such as sexual favors. As a profession, we have long understood this type of abuse of power and, when discovered and investigated, those involved are arrested.
  3. ↑ Martinelli, Thomas. "Noble Cause Corruption". Ethics in Policing. Noble cause corruption in policing is defined as "corruption committed in the name of good ends, corruption that happens when police officers care too much about their work.
  4. ↑ John Crank, Dan Flaherty, Andrew Giacomazzi, The noble cause: An empirical assessment
  5. ↑ "Unconstitutional Policing: The Ethical Challenges in Dealing with Noble Cause Corruption". Police Chief Magazine. Officers rationalize this misconduct because cynicism has built up, the department lacks morale and leadership, and the individual lacks faith in the criminal justice system.
  6. ↑ Martinelli, Thomas. "Noble Cause Corruption". Ethics in Policing. Arrogance and weak supervision contribute to the degree of noble cause corruption found in any police organisation or unit.
  7. 1 2 The noble cause: An empirical assessment, , John Crank, et al, Jounal of Criminal Justice, p 105
  8. ↑ The Dirty Harry Problem Carl B. Klockars, Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 452, The Police and Violence. (Nov., 1980), pp. 33-47.
  9. ↑ Crank, J., Caldero, M., Police Ethics: The Corruption of Noble Cause, ISBN 978-1-59345-610-8
  10. ↑ Thomas J. Martinelli, "Unconstitutional Policing: The Ethical Challenges in Dealing with Noble Cause Corruption", The Police Chief, 2006. http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&article_id=1025&issue_id=102006
  11. ↑ Robert Reiner, The Politics of the Police, Oxford University Press, 2010, ISBN 0199283397.
  12. ↑ "2 Boston Police Officers Charged With Lying in Killing of Officer". nytimes.com. 16 February 1990.
  13. ↑ "LUNA v. MASSACHUSETTS". Findlaw.
  14. ↑ Why Julian Assange Hates "We Steal Secrets, Dave Gilson in Mother Jones, 23 May 2013

External links

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Noble Cause Corruption

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