Money Above the Law; Bribery
Welcome back to Ethics 101! 😁
Today’s blog will highlight bribery as an unethical issue in the criminal justice system, especially among law enforcement officials such as police officers. Is it ethical for police officers to accept bribes from citizens? Is it right for the wealthy to evade the law, simply because our officers can be bought? I think not!
According to Gan Integrity Glossary, Bribery refers to the “criminal and corrupt practice where an entity offers something of value to a corporate or public official in exchange for their cooperation in influencing a decision-making process, committing or allowing fraud against the official’s organization, or otherwise violating their official duties”(Gan Integrity, n.d.). In essence, bribery is the unethical act of influencing someone’s decision or allowing them to think a certain way by offering them valuable items or cash.
Is the Bribe Worth it?
The Corruption (Prevention) Act (section 14, subsection 1&2) clearly warns against bribery, and states that any such act is an act of corruption, for which the perpetrator will be held liable to prosecution for the offence. It is sad to know that bribery has been and continues to plague the criminal justice system in more ways than one. Politicians are one of the many groups of individuals who are guilty of offering bribes to citizens. During the Jamaican election period, it is a popular campaign tactic to offer money, empty promises, chickens, water tanks and other items to citizens in exchange for their votes. This is unethical and our ministers need to do better and put an end to this culture, as it is the root from which all other forms of corruption begin. This ethical issue goes against “justice, equality and fairness’’, the pillars on which the criminal justice system was founded thus the CJS is failing the society at large. Imagine our officers who are tasked with serving and protecting us, violating the law and condoning the actions of law breakers! In Jamaica, it has become a trend for many police officers to accept bribes while on traffic duty. So, rather than giving drivers tickets for dark tints, speeding, no seatbelt, or otherwise these officer accept cash and allow these traffic violators to go free. A gleaner article dated September 2019, highlights one scenario in which three police officers were accused of breaching the Corruption Act by soliciting $6000 from a motorist who committed a road traffic violation. They were charged, offered a $200,000 bail and scheduled to return to court at a later date (Jamaica Observer, 2019). Accepting the bribe was definitely not worth it.
Ethical or Unethical?
Bribery is clearly unethical and morally wrong; therefore, police officers and other law enforcement officials should refrain from participating in such acts, not only because there are negative consequences but because it goes against their code of conduct. These criminal justice practitioners are responsible to serve and protect all, not just those who are able to “afford your price”. This can eventually lead to citizens losing faith in the justice system, as it would appear that the scales are tipped in the direction of those with bigger pockets.
A New Way of Operating
In order to improve the Criminal Justice System,
it is imperative that law breakers are held accountable no matter their class, financial situation or job title.
the various oversight of the CJS must keep a watchful eye to ensure that the laws are not being broken by those who are tasked with enforcing them
the various disciplinary bodies of the CJS must ensure that such acts of corruption are met with serious consequences in an effort to prevent reoccurrences.
these officers must be constantly reminded that “No one is above the law” and that it is their duty to deliver justice to all.
One cap must fit all as it relates to the obedience of the law and justice should not have a price tag; therefore, realistic changes must be made within the field of criminal justice to ensure that bribery (a popular act of corruption) is minimized.
Educate Yourself, and Make the Right Choice! Stay Tuned for More- Zorian Clarke
References
Gan Integrity. (n.d.). Bribery. Glossary. https://www.ganintegrity.com/compliance-glossary/bribery/
Jamaica Observer. (2019, September 18). Three traffic cops charged after reportedly accepting $6000 bribe. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Three_traffic_cops_charged_after_reportedly_accepting_$6000_bribe_
The Corruption (Prevention) Act. https://moj.gov.jm/sites/default/files/laws/The%20Corruption%20Prevention%20Act.pdf
