Cesar Lopez

Professor Leslie Bruce

ENG 301

December 6, 2017

Annotated Bibliography, MLA Format, 4 Sources

Working Title: Police Officers No Longer Have Public Trust

Research Question: Police corruption, a form of police misconduct that involves the abuse of

power for personal or departmental benefit, has been the root for many scandals and public

distrust of law enforcement. What current actions are being implemented by our criminal justice

system to suppress police corruption?

Working Thesis: Although all police officers are accountable and liable for public trust and

safety, the Criminal Justice system should closely monitor all officers to ensure that they are not

engaging in criminal behavior and corruption.

Introduction: Police officers are entrusted in their duties to be accountable for public trust and

safety while sustaining the authority to enforce the laws to society. Despite holding significant

roles within society, some police officers dont stay true to their obligations. Within the void

between ensuring justice and holding authority over others, police officers are more often than

not exposed to the temptations of criminal behavior that appeals to them on a personal level.

Knowing such temptations lurk within the Criminal Justice system and that such temptations

have negatively influenced many police officers over the years, justifies for a stricter and more

closely monitored supervision of officers on and off duty by the system.

Annotations:
1. Davids, Cindy and Marilyn McMahon. "Police Misconduct as a Breach of Public Trust:

The Offence of Misconduct in Public Office." Deakin Law Review, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan.

2014, pp. 89-121.

b) This source analyzes types of police conduct and how police corruption damages

public trust in public officers.

c) I will use this source to showcase the list of elements listed by Paul Finn in his excerpt

from his journal Official Misconduct, to present the actions that need to be present for the

actions of police officers to be considered a form of misconduct and corruption. By doing

this, I will be able to give broad insight on why this offense threatens public trust in

police and give a precise definition of police misconduct and corruption.

2. Dean, Geoff and Petter Gottschalk. "Continuum of Police Crime: An Empirical Study of

Court Cases." International Journal of Police Science & Management, vol. 13, no. 1,

Spring2011, pp. 16-28.

b) This source demonstrates Deans Slippery Slope model which demonstrates the

process in which an officers falls within the continuum of crime.

c) I will use the framework Dean presents to explain the process in which an officer

sways farther away from the ethical standards they are expected to have and closer to

criminal ways.
3. Gottschalk, Petter. "Police Criminality and Neutralization: An Empirical Study of Court

Cases." Police Practice & Research, vol. 13, no. 6, Dec. 2012, pp. 501-512.

b) This source presents the theory of neutralization with an emphasis of the officers

motivation to engage in the actions that define police corruption and misconduct.

c) I will use this source to define the theory of neutralization through the points listed by

Siponen and Vance in their studies of Neutralization and explain how the techniques of

Neutralization play a role in the motivational process of officers who engaged in criminal

activities. I will also mention the four points listed by R. Reiner on his Motive for

Crime from his article Media made criminality. With this source, I will touch upon the

counterargument of why police who engage in crime should be treated leniently by the

Criminal Justice system.

4. Martin, Rich. "An Analytical Look into Police Ethics." FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,

vol. 80, no. 5, May 2011, pp. 11-17.

b) This source provides information about police ethics, subculture and measures being

taken to prevent corruption within law enforcement agencies.

c) I will use the information provided by Martin to elaborate on the ethics of police

behavior and the set of standards that each officer is expected to meet when on duty.

Along with this, I will also mention the influences of police subculture and how

behaviors of interaction are significant when engaging in criminal activities within the

agency. Lastly, I will provide the steps Martin mentions are being taken to prevent police

corruption which include hiring ethical individuals with missions of goodwill and a

developing sense of ethical and moral leadership.