Deck 7: Police Corruption and Responses

Question 1

"Graft" is defined in the text as the exploitation of one's role by:

A)utilizing excessive force while arresting someone.
B)utilizing excessive force to obtain a confession.
C)accepting free coffee from convenience stores.
D)accepting bribes, kickbacks, or protection money.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Based on the text, an unlawful seizure is an example of ________.

A)physical abuse
B)psychological abuse
C)legal abuse
D)sexual abuse

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In Barker and Carter's study, they found that up to what percentage of police may have used drugs on duty?

A)20
B)2
C)60
D)40

Answer 3

A

Question 4

"Baksheesh," which is an expected procedure in many developing countries, is another term for:

A)nepotism.
B)physical abuse.
C)graft.
D)rewards

Question 5

Ridicule, according to the text, is an example of _________

A)physical abuse.
B)psychological abuse.
C)legal abuse.
D)sexual abuse.

Question 6

Meat eaters are more _______ than grass eaters.

A)corrupt
B)deviant
C)active
D)passive

Question 7

A grass eater would not

A)accept a tip.
B)allow herself to be bribed.
C)shake down a shop owner.
D)accept unsolicited protection money.

Question 8

According to Fyfe and Kane, on-duty abuse is::

A)the use of excessive force, psychological abuse, or discrimination.
B)all offenses except those that are drug-related with the goal of profit.
C)simple failure to meet expectations.
D)violating one or more departmental rules.

Question 9

Which of the following ethical lapses would be a crime?

A)Turning a police radio off to avoid responding to a traffic incident.
B)Accepting a laptop from an electronics store in exchange for enhanced patrolling.
C)Having sex with an informant.
D)Overhearing fellow officers beating a prisoner and saying nothing.

Question 10

A free meal for a police officer at a restaurant she patrols is:

A)a gift.
B)a gratuity.
C)graft.
D)a shakedown.

Question 11

The "blue discount suit" refers to:

A)graft.
B)bribes.
C)gratuities.
D)seizures.

Question 12

According to Kania, gratuities _______

A)are never acceptable.
B)are a necessary evil.
C)are acceptable as long as they are not excessive.
D)are acceptable only when the giver and the taker have no impure intent.

Question 13

An abuse of authority that is not part of the typologies elucidated by Baker and Carter or Fife and Kane is:

A)professional courtesy.
B)retaliatory brutality.
C)perjury.
D)hiding exculpatory evidence.

Question 14

Of the sex-related arrests of sworn officers Stinson, Brewer, and Mathna studied, 70 percent of the victims were:

A)white.
B)women.
C)minors.
D)African American.

Question 15

Which of the following is not considered graft?

A)Bribes
B)Protection money
C)Taking merchandize from a crime scene
D)Payments for referring certain bail bondsmen

Question 16

According to Fyfe and Kane, "conduct-related probationary failures": mean::

A)the use of excessive force, psychological abuse, or discrimination.
B)all offenses except those that are drug-related with the goal of profit.
C)simple failure to meet job expectations.
D)violating one or more departmental rules.

Question 17

According to Carter, the elements of police work that can lead to drug use include all of the following except:

A)exposure to a criminal element.
B)time spent in traffic patrol duties.
C)relative freedom from supervision.
D)uncontrolled availability of contraband.

Question 18

Ethical formalism would reject a policy of allowing gratuities if they:

A)are expressly against the law.
B)occur frequently.
C)are offered for the purpose of receiving a later favor.
D)are not offered to all officers.

Question 19

The practice of declining to issue a ticket to an off-duty officer who is stopped for speeding or for other driving violations is called:

A)blue gratuity.
B)professional gift.
C)professional courtesy.
D)blue graft.

Question 20

An important distinction between a gift and a gratuity is that a gift is:

A)clearly given with expectations of reciprocity.
B)clearly given with no strings attached.
C)something that can only be given to an off-duty police officer.
D)something that is received from someone recently arrested.

Question 21

Integrity testing _______

A)is part of every police academy's written examination.
B)occurs in the interview process for new officers.
C)is widely supported by police officers.
D)is akin to a sting operation performed against potentially corrupt police.

Question 22

After completing your observations of Officer Jones, you are asked to summarize your observations for a study being conducted by an ethicist studying police behavior. Assume that the waitress at the diner was new and did not know about Officer Jones' arrangement with the owner. She brought a check for the food and coffee, and Officer Jones grudgingly paid. Because the choice of the diner was motivated by Officer Jones' desire for a free meal, ______________ would consider his actions immoral even though he paid.

A)universality
B)ethical formalism
C)utilitarianism
D)teleological ethics

Question 23

Chicago police officers have the grim distinction of leading the nation in:

A)officers killed on duty.
B)police brutality convictions.
C)killing of unarmed suspects on duty.
D)officer suicides.

Question 24

You have been hired to consult with the new chief of a police department that has been fraught with complaints of officer misconduct. The chief explains that the department has its own section dedicated to monitoring the department's officers and investigating complaints. This is known as:

A)the self-policing model.
B)the internal affairs model.
C)a consent decree.
D)the "rotten barrel" scenario.

Question 25

Lack of background checks, poor internal discipline procedures, and poor supervision are all examples of what type of explanations for police deviance?

A)Societal
B)Organizational
C)Individual
D)Philosophical

Question 26

You are an Internal Affairs officer investigating corruption in the city police department. You have been assigned to ride along as a partner to Officer Jones, who has a reputation for being corrupt. Officer Jones has been told that you are a patrol officer who has been transferred from another district within the department. While on patrol, Officer Jones stops a car for speeding and running a red light. You observe the interaction between Officer Jones and the driver. Jones allows the driver to leave without penalty. When you ask why he gave the driver a break, Jones tells you that the driver turned out to be a fellow police officer. By letting him go without a citation, Jones has demonstrated which type of corruption?

A)Graft
B)Gratuity
C)Abuse of power
D)Professional courtesy

Question 27

You have been hired to consult with the new chief of a police department that has been fraught with complaints of officer misconduct. After reviewing the reports of officer misconduct, you determine that they seem to be individual acts for the most part. You recommend an improved screening process, random integrity tests, and a process of reviewing use-of- force reports in order to detect possible warning signs. This approach is known as a ______________ response.

A)rotten-apple
B)rotten barrel
C)consent decree
D)"Big Five"

Question 28

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)is:

A)a tool used to evaluate the work performance of police officers.
B)a tool used to screen potential informants.
C)a method for debriefing undercover officers after their operation has concluded.
D)a pre-employment screening tool used by law enforcement.

Question 29

Research on abuse and corruption complains finds that:

A)these are widespread problems.
B)these activities are disproportionally engaged in by a small number of officers.
C)these problems are more prevalent now than ever in the past.
D)these issues are particularly a problem in the northeast.

Question 30

The Buddy Boys operated in which city?

A)New York
B)Los Angeles
C)Boston
D)Detroit

Question 31

The "rotten bushel" explanation is which type of explanation for police deviance?

A)Societal
B)Organizational
C)Individual
D)Philosophical

Question 32

You are an Internal Affairs officer investigating corruption in the city police department. You have been assigned to ride along as a partner to Officer Jones, who has a reputation for being corrupt. Officer Jones has been told that you are a patrol officer who has been transferred from another district within the department. At break time, you and Officer Jones stop for coffee and a snack at a local diner. When it is time to return to patrol, you are surprised to see Officer Jones get up and leave without paying. He explains that the owner of the diner doesn't charge police officers, which is why he chose that particular diner. This is an illustration of:

A)graft.
B)gratuity.
C)abuse of power.
D)professional courtesy.

Question 33

You have been hired to consult with the new chief of a police department that has been fraught with complaints of officer misconduct. You draft recommendations to improve the hiring process. You advise the chief that one particular category of recruits was more likely to be terminated during probation. Which group is this?

A)Hispanic recruits
B)Recruits with only a high school diploma
C)Recruits with military experience
D)Recruits under the age of 22

Question 34

Some new officers experience cynicism when they encounter citizen disrespect, bureaucratic barriers, and the realities of the justice system. This can lead them to distrust the department's administration and the citizens of the community, leaving them more prone to corruption. This process is known as the:

A)spiral of cynicism.
B)disillusionment process.
C)chain of corruption.
D)continuum of compromise.

Question 35

After completing your observations of Officer Jones, you are asked to summarize your observations for a study being conducted by an ethicist studying police behavior. In the above example regarding the driver who ran the red light, we could say that Jones' actions were unethical because he had a duty to enforce the law. This viewpoint would be consistent with a(n)___________ ethical system.

A)deontological
B)teleological
C)ethics of care
D)ethics of virtue

Question 36

Which of the following is not one of the "Big Five" personality traits?

A)Introversion
B)Neuroticism
C)Openness
D)Conscientiousness

Question 37

After completing your observations of Officer Jones, you are asked to summarize your observations for a study being conducted by an ethicist studying police behavior. Let's assume that the driver turned out to be an undercover police officer who was engaged in surveillance. Jones intended at first to write a citation. However, when he found out the driver was an officer, he decided to let him go, so that the undercover officer would not have attention drawn to him while Jones wrote the citation. Jones decided that letting the officer go would best serve the greater good. This would be consistent with:

A)universality.
B)professional courtesy.
C)utilitarianism.
D)deontology.

Question 38

While on patrol, Officer Jones notices a car that is parked illegally. He uses his cell phone to call a towing company, identifying himself as a "friend" on the phone. When the tow truck arrives, the driver thanks Officer Jones for calling in the job, and discreetly hands him a twenty-dollar bill. This is an example of:

A)graft.
B)gratuity.
C)abuse of power.
D)professional courtesy.

Question 39

If any of the above scenarios were arranged specifically to observe Officer Jones to see how he would react to an opportunity for misconduct, the activity would be an example of a(n):

A)internal sting.
B)corruption check.
C)integrity test.
D)graft operation.

Question 40

Murphy and Caplan argue that each of the following societal factors lead to police corruption, except:

A)lack of support from prosecutors and the courts.
B)unfair reporting in the news media.
C)lax community standards over certain behaviors.
D)mixed messages regarding certain crimes such as prostitution.

Question 41

An analysis of sex-related arrests of sworn officers found that most of the victims were minors.

Question 42

Because gratuities are seen as a gateway to more serious corruption, all American police departments have strict "no gratuities" policies.

Question 43

Grass eaters are known to "shop" at burglary scenes.

Question 44

In Macintyre and Prenzler's study of whether police officers would issue a ticket to a business owner who gave them gratuities, less than half said they would issue the ticket.

Question 45

Norway is the only country above the United States in public perceptions of police integrity.

Question 46

Accepting a free coffee from a storeowner can be a form of corruption.

Question 47

Noble-cause corruption is a type of organizational level explanation for police deviance.

Question 48

There is no fundamental distinction between a gift and a gratuity.

Question 49

There is no evidence to indicate that police behavior is influenced by the possibility of civil lawsuits.

Question 50

Studies indicate that gratuities do not influence the way that officers patrol.

Question 51

The computerized crime-counting program known as ____________ was designed to hold police officials accountable for their department's effectiveness, which led some to make improper arrests to bolster their numbers.

Question 52

Research shows that there is no relation between an officer's level of education and the number of citizen complaints received.

Question 53

According to Gilmartin and Harris, an officer's "continuum of compromise" begins when he or she perceives a sense of victimization on the job.

Question 54

An operation in which a police officer is placed in a position where he or she might be tempted to break a rule or a law and is monitored to see what he or she will do is known as a "graft check."

Question 55

When one acts upon opportunities created by one's authority for the purpose of personal gain at the expense of the public, it is called ________________.

Question 56

Greene's study showed that the area an officer patrols is associated with the likelihood of receiving discipline, complaints, or becoming involved in police shootings.

Question 57

The phrase ________________ was used by the Knapp Commission to describe deviant NYC police officers who engaged in shakedowns, shopped at burglary scenes, and engaged in more serious practices.

Question 58

The phrase ________________ was used by the Knapp Commission to describe NYC police officers who were taking bribes, gratuities, and unsolicited protection money and who were fairly passive in their deviant practices.

Question 59

A 22-year study of New York City police officers found only 2 percent were terminated for misconduct.

Question 60

___________ refers to any exploitation of one's role, such as accepting bribes, protection money, or kickbacks.

Question 61

Summarize the available research concerning the on-duty use of drugs by police officers and discuss the implications.

Question 62

Explain how "perverse incentives" such as COMPSTAT can lead to organizational corruption.

Question 63

__________ is a euphemism for graft and is a significant problem in developing countries.

Question 64

Discuss the difference between on-duty and off-duty misbehavior by police, and distinguish between police corruption and police crime.

Question 65

Discuss the research concerning on-duty use of force. What factors seem to lead to use of excessive force?

Question 66

____________________ occurs when a police officer is placed in a position where she might be tempted to break a law and monitored to see what she will do.

Question 67

Compare and contrast the ethical dilemmas that arise from gratuities and discuss which might be ethically acceptable.

Question 68

List and discuss examples of law enforcement corruption in other countries.

Question 69

Discuss the origin of the Knapp Commission, and evaluate its conclusions.

Question 70

The ________________ argument states that the officer alone was deviant and that it was simply a mistake to hire him or her.

Question 71

Most of the victims of sex-related arrests by sworn officers are ____________.

Question 72

Conflict-of-interest laws recognize the reality that accepting items of value from stakeholders compromises a public official's ________________.

Question 73

Analyze the impact and extent of on-duty use of drugs and alcohol .

Question 74

Gilmartin and Harris coined the term ___________ to illustrate ethical dilemmas, which face officers, first element of which is a "perceived sense of victimization."

Question 75

List and describe Barker and Carter's types of abuse.

Question 76

Officer Adrian Schoolcraft was taken to a mental ward in retaliation for revealing corrupt practices in ______________.

Question 77

Experiences such as witnessing the death of a fellow officer or accidentally killing a bystander can cause ____________ , which produces symptoms such as flashbacks and anger control issues.

Question 78

Regardless of formal ethical codes, police are influenced by the standards of behavior they observe in their ________________.

Question 79

Civilian review boards have been in existence since the mid-1960s, yet ____________ continue to strongly oppose them.

Question 80

Explain the "continuum of compromise" as it relates to police misconduct, including how it might help supervisors recognize warning signs.