corruption in law enforcement essay

Corruption in Law Enforcement Research Paper

The American society has gone through difficult times due to police brutality and misconduct mainly because of corruption that has threatened to interfere with the very survival of society. In the mid 19 th century to early 20 th century, clandestine police forces were popular and the representatives of Pinkerton’s and other police forces available for hire were infamous since brutal employers utilized their services to quell violence against striking workers.

Heavy-handed law enforcement coupled with illegal groups such as Ku Klux Klan acting through vigilantism denied individuals their civil rights formulated in the 1871. The law provided that it was illegal for state law to interfere with an individual’s constitutional rights under the national rules. In early 21 st century, section 1983 of the 1871 act became one of the important instruments of fighting police brutality and injustice in society (Klockars, 2000).

The 20 th century witnessed lawful, organizational, and scholarly models to the issue. Some developments in the state fought the criminality of the state machinery indirectly, such as the endorsement of the civil rights in 1964. The passage of the act protected individuals who had undergone psychological and physical pain due to police misconduct.

Furthermore, the landmark rulings by the Court gave the public powers and authority against the actions of police officers. For instance, the Fourth Amendment prevented police officers from searching and seizing and individual without court permission (Goldstein, 1975). Even though legal protection and well-planned reforms exist, police brutality has persisted and people are still suffering in the hands of the state machinery.

Furthermore, the extent at which people encounter police brutality is unknown to the public due to a number of reasons. Misconduct issues among police officers are usually quantified based on each city even though information provided is subjective (Klockars, 2000). Furthermore, the levels of corruption are even harder to measure. The studies should be undertaken to determine the levels of corruption in the police force.

To do this, a number of research hypothesis are to be formulated. Again, the researcher should undertaken a research to determine the effective utilization of personality measures to identify officers who are prone to corruption. Finally, the researcher would suggest some recommendations on how to end the problem. For all these to happen, the problem statement is to be defined clearly at an early onset of research.

Introduction

Corruption is a variable that has been defined variously by many scholars. On one hand, it has been defined as the violation of regional and national laws. Others view it as the violation of personal rights contained in the constitution by police officers. Another group of scholars perceives it as the commitment of crime by police officers to achieve personal interests. In general, corruption refers to police misbehavior and abuses of police authority.

From the definitions, the term refers to a number of technical, illegal and civil infringements. In this respect, misconduct is the broad category of civil violation. Misconduct becomes technical in case it is used to refer to police officers who go against the policies and rules of the police service.

The term is used to criminal in case it is utilized to refer to violation of state and national laws by police officers. Finally, it is used to refer to unconstitutional in case the rights and freedoms of citizens are contravened by police officers in any state or in any part of the country. There are a number of police misconducts including excessive utilization of physical or lethal force, prejudiced arrest, physical or verbal pestering, and discriminatory enforcement of law (Rozella, 2003).

The law protects citizens from police brutality but the issue of corruption and misconduct still exist in society. In fact, the department of police has always strived to produce quality police officers through setting up of the professional codes of conduct, reviewing the training needs of officers and conducting credible investigations and subsequent punishment of officers in case found guilty.

However, these have never stopped corruption among police officers. This paper will therefore conduct a research to establish the why corruption is a commonplace in the American society. The paper employs research methodologies to determine measure carefully the existing problem. From the collected data, the paper comes up with conclusions and recommendations that would change the state of affairs as regards to corruption.

Problem Statement

Since 1999, the American society has witnessed various police misconduct issues. In the same year, there was a worst scandal ever involving the Los Angeles Department’s Rampart borders and certainly, its elite anti-gang unit referred to as the CRASH (Community Resources against Street Hoodlums). Upon investigation, both local and state, CRASH was banned and seventy officers were taken in for investigations.

A number of police officers were found guilty of misconducts while several of them were convicted mainly because of drug trafficking, larceny, promoting mugging, tempering with arrests and filing bogus reports. The Rampart humiliation brought about many problems to the police force. It bore heavy costs to the policy makers in the force, which were both financial in nature and psychological. Much criminal fervor accredited to the work of corrupt individuals in the work force was overturned by the court.

By 2003, the police force in the city had already lost over $40 in lawsuits. Consequently, the 2000 agreement between the Lo Angeles city council and the federal government put the police in the city under the custodianship of the judge for five years. The judge was to monitor reforms and evaluate the activities of the police.

Compared to other agencies in the country, the Los Angeles police force is no exceptional. In 1990s, the New York City’s wide-ranging reforms were put into sport light following the high-profile cases involving police misconduct (Giuliani, 1995). The New York cases proved that it was difficult to handle cases involving police misconduct. The first case was put forth in 1997 where a Haitian migrant was thoroughly beaten under police custody.

The foreigner was said to have been harassed sexually since cases of sodomy were also reported. In 2000, the police officers were jailed for interfering with individual freedom and justices. However, the court overturned the ruling in the United States v. Schwarz . The second New York hullabaloo pertained to the killing of an unarmed man in 1999. The undercover officers allegedly shot the Guinean migrant 41 times.

Citizens protested against the actions of the police unit referred to as the Aggressive Street Crimes. The officers were set free in 2000 controversially. The police brutality and rampant corruption has led to public outcry where demonstrations have been mounted to disown the misconduct of the police. In the contemporary world, police have accused of beating and harassing a black American citizen who was found in the street.

In 2001, the court set free one police officer who was allegedly accused of shooting a black man. The American populace blames police brutality on defective policies that insist on aggressive policing on matters pertaining on drugs, street crimes and street gangs. Police department is of the governmental agencies that are known to resist change in society.

Due to these problems, city council authorities, the ministries of justice and state security, and renowned criminologists have launched studies to establish ways that can bring about reforms in the police service.

Upon this realization, this paper sets out to reinforce the findings of other scholars as they attempt to find solutions to the existing problems. Therefore, the paper collects data in order to analyze the same data to reach at important conclusions and recommendations.

In this research paper, the researcher is interested in testing variables such as crime rates, crime reporting, personality traits of officers, and police corruption. The research tests various hypotheses that are associated with the interaction between them. The hypotheses may perhaps be combined to arrive at various equations. For instance, the following equations can be arrived at.

Crime= f (corruption in the police force, crime reporting, A, B1)

Crime reporting = g (Corruption in the force, crime A, B2)

Police corruption= h (Crime rates, reporting of crime A, B3)

Each category of the equations above consists of exogenous variables A, which are universal to all statements. Exogenous variables B are particular to each equation. In other words, variables B refer to those tools that assist the researcher to classify the systematic factors.

Factors in the exogenous variables X, which affect the operations of police in each state may include low incomes and inequality in terms of salaries, the level of education attained by officers and ethnic/racial disparities. Scholars view these factors to be responsible for crime. Results expected after measuring these variables would: the rates of crime increase when inequalities increase. Furthermore, urbanization and racial disparities tend to increase the rates of crime in any city.

In case police officers are taken through rigorous training system with better equipments and clear curriculum, corruption would decrease. The rates of crime would also decrease. In other words, this shows that the crime reporting rates tend to be positively correlated with the level of training. In this regard, it is negatively correlated with the salary inequalities among civil servants.

Urbanization tends to affect crime reporting positively since people are aware of their rights in an urban setting. Ethnicity and racial differences affect crime-reporting practices negatively, especially when communities distrust each other. Consequently, police corruption would definitely reduce in case the population is educated. Corruption is high in case ethnic differences and income inequalities are allowed in society.

In any research study, variables must be measured. The researcher would not have achieved his or her mission in case variables are not measured. In this study, income equality is measured using the Gini coefficient. Furthermore, the level of education is measured using the literacy rate scale.

The researcher opted for the literacy rate scale as opposed to inquiring about the number of years an individual has been attending classes because the former covers many states. Ethnic/racial differences are measured using the ethno-linguistic fractionalization index as suggested by Creswell (2003). According to this measurement instrument, two individuals taken randomly are expected to belong to different ethnic/racial groups.

Moreover, it is a fact that endogenous variables are expected to affect other variables in any research. In this case, it is important to tackle all issues related to corruption in the police force and the issues related to reporting crimes. These variables are used to calculate regression in the equations.

It is surprising that finding appropriate measurement instruments for endogenous variables is problematic. For a variable to be measured, it should be exogenous, correlated with endogenous variables and be in a position to manipulate the dependent variable in any study. The following equations are used to show how exogenous variables play off in research.

B1 (crime) =the extent of punishment, the age of the population, the attitudes of the populace as regards to crime, the provision of the constitution regarding corruption

B2 (crime reporting) =activism, the composition of human organizations

B3 (police corruption) =attitudes of the officers and the public towards bribery and the influence of diplomats and other officers in government with high ranks and political influence

Every research in social sciences attempts to prove that a specific phenomenon occurs due to a specific reason. Conducting a research is like a walk in the desert without a guiding map to show clear directions that should be taken in order to reach the desired direction.

Hakim (2000) warns that care should be taken by every researcher when conducting a research to ensure that he or she does not wonder off the focus of the study just by the sheer wonder of the research in question. A path should clearly be set, upon which the research would take.

Research hypothesis always provides solution to this. Leedy and Ormrod (2005) define hypothesis as a proposition made by the researcher about the research upon which the research would try to determine if it is true or otherwise. Hypothesis is a kind of a proposal or a guess that the findings of a particular research would be in a particular way.

As Hakim (2000) notes, a research would always have two hypotheses for every single desired result. There is always the null hypothesis and alternate hypothesis. The null hypothesis would always refute the claim by saying that the proposition does not hold. On the other hand, alternative hypothesis would always try to affirm that the proposition set by the researcher holds.

A test would always be conducted on the null hypothesis with an aim of rejecting it. By rejecting a null hypothesis, the research would be accepting the alternative hypothesis. It is always every researchers desire to reject a null hypothesis because when a research accepts a null hypothesis, it would render the whole research unnecessary. It would be rejecting the proposition made by the researcher, a fact that would render the research null and void. The following hypotheses would be designed to guide the research.

H1: Corruption is the police force would possibly lead to higher rates of crime in various parts of the country. This is because criminals are able to buy justice, merit might not be considered in the police force and police forces might turn out to be gangs.

H2: Crime augments corruption in the police force since the level of criminality may infect the police. In this case, the criminals might compromise the police to arrest innocent people in society.

H3: Crime reporting is always expected to reduce the rate at which corruption takes place within the police force. In case a crime is reported, it is impossible for a police officer to set free a criminal. If reported, corrupt officers might be punished by the state.

H4: Cases of corruption in the police force reduces the trust held by the public towards the agencies in charge of law enforcement. This would even discourage the culture of crime reporting.

H5: Reporting criminal activities to the state authorities reduce crimes since lawbreakers fear being caught.

H6: Increased cases of crime tend to discourage the culture of reporting crimes since the people feels demoralized, as criminals are set free. This would lead to cases of mob-justice as the only way of ensuring justice.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Approach

Political science and Public Administration investigators generally employ two categories of exploration processes. First is quantitative study, which utilizes mathematical indicators to determine the relative magnitude of a certain political or bureaucratic occurrence. The second category of exploration process is qualitative study, which uses symbols and expressions to point out the occurrence or lack of an event or classify them into various forms.

Quantitative and qualitative annotations offer public administration canvassers a number of ways as regards to Operationalization of concepts and calculation of hypothetical constructs, as well as realistic conception (Crotty, 2003). Whereas quantitative techniques can offer a high level of quantity accuracy and arithmetical supremacy, qualitative techniques can provide a superior intensity of information concerning the nature of administrative progression in a certain study environment.

The well-designed or positivist archetype that steers the quantitative method of analysis is based on the supposition that public truth has an objective ontological configuration and that people react to this objective setting. Data collection in quantitative study is through questionnaire.

The researcher seeks to solicit information by posing questions to the respondents. The major aim of the quantitative prototype is to ensure reliability, validity and generalization of a problem in its patent prediction of cause and effect. Validity is utilized in establishing whether a study measures what it is projected to measure and to estimate the truth of the outcomes. The researcher ensures that both internal and external validities are observed in the study. Internal validity is catered for through careful manipulation of the results.

Qualitative study shares the hypothetical postulations of the interpretative model, which is based on the view that public truth is shaped and upheld through personal knowledge. Qualitative investigators are apprehensive in their investigations while trying to precisely illustrate, translate and understand the meanings of occurrences taking place in their normal public perspectives.

Qualitative researchers are focused on scrutinizing the difficulty, legitimacy, collective subjectivity of the investigator and the respondent as well as minimization of misapprehension (Russell & Ryan, 2009). Data collection methods include observation and use of interviews. Observation allows the researcher to analyze the causes of human behavior. Validity in qualitative research is ensured through triangulation of methods, techniques and tools.

This study employed a quantitative approach in order to arrive at strong results and conclusions. While quantitative techniques may function well in separating and categorizing the correlates linked to discrepancy at particular periods, qualitative methods are mainly superior at achieving insight as regards to processes and actions that causes practical deviation and have the main benefit of giving sudden insight.

Creswell and other scholars made intuitive theoretical structure pertaining to mixed methods, mainly concerning issues of excellence (Creswell, 2003). Mixed methods not only enlarge the study toolbox, they as well offer the chance for fusion of study customs and offer the researcher extra viewpoints and insights that are past the span of any solitary method.

Research Design

There were two key methods used to gather information in this report. The first one was through a questionaire, which was administered online to the staff at police department. The questionaire sought to capture various attutudes of staff at the police department regarding their performance and isses related to corruption.

The second source of information used for the research was literature on various aspects motivation. The focus of the literature review was to find information on the application of corruption determent techniques and also to determine the current state of research in the use of curruption prevention instruments.

The questionnaire had four Parts. The first part sought to capture the biodata information of respondents. The second part dealt with the demography and gender of the respondents. This was to ascertain the prevalence of views in varoius categories in order to ensure that if any differences came about, then they would be captured in their demographic space.

The third part dealt with academic credentials and work experience. The motivation for this section came from the understanding that different sections of population respond differently to motivators, based on age and academic credentials. The fourth part delved into the specific issues relating to curruption, starting from the understanding of the concept to the possible effects it would have on police officers (Leedy, & Ormrod, 2005).

The questionaire also employed a mix of open ended and closed ended questions to capture different aspects of issues studied. Open ended questions were used because thay give respondents more time to figure out their opinions, which would make them volunteer more information related to feelings, outlooks and comprehension of the subject. This would allow the researcher to understand the position of respondents as regards to feelings.

Open ended questions minimize some errors that could have been created in the course of research. Respondents rarely forget answers if given an opportunity to respond freely. Furthermore, respondents cannot ignore some questions because they must go through all of them. Open ended questions generate data that can be used in data analysis by other researchers. In other words, they allow secondary data analysis. On the other hand, closed-ended questions are analyzed easily. That is why they were used in this study.

Each response can be coded for statistical interpretation. Nonetheless, closed-ended questions are compatible with computer analysis package. The technique is more specific meaning that its answers are consistent in all conditions. This aspect is impossible with open-ended questions because each respondent is allowed to use his or her own words. Finally, closed-ended questions take less time to administer unlike open-ended questions, which are detailed hence time consuming.

The questionnaire was sent to respondents through the internet that is, the researcher mailed the questions to respective police respondents. The researcher arrived at this decision after considering time and reseources.

The method is costless and less time consuming. Furthmore, the method allows respondents to reflect on the questions and answer them accurately. Employing research assistants would be problematic because of the sensitivity of the study.

Many people would be reluctant to give their views freely. The method is ineffective because answers are not independent. The respondent might not have filled the questions him or herself. Moreover, the method is affected by the respondent’s level of literacy. One big disadvantage of the technique is that there is no interaction between the researcher and the researched.

This means that respondent’s reactions are not captured. Reactions are important because they give more information regarding to the feelings of respondents. Generally, the technique is more applicable where the researcher is interested in numbers, not deep feelings of the respondent. In this study, the researcher is interested in identifying the number of employees who feel performance related pay is the suitable method of stimulating employees.

The use of the questionaire made it possible to capture issues that are unique to the department of police. This is because there was no accessible literature with required degree of relevence to the subject matter about the department of police. The targeted staff responded to the questionaire online.

The availability of staff influenced the choice of this method because the police operates throughout and therefore it is not possible at any one time to find all officers in one place. An online questionaire reduced the costs of data collection, assured confidentiality, and was available throughout for the staff for a fixed period. After collection, the data went through analysis, culminating to the conclusions and findings discussed in the subsequent sections of this paper.

Through analysis, it was estblished that police corruption in the US is caused by a number of reasons. Furthermore, respondents argued that some policies should be formulated to contain the vice, which is very common in the force. It was found out that corruption in the police force is caused by cultural practices among the members of the force.

This is what some police chiefs referred to as “the bad or rotten apples”. The rotten apples are mostly weak individuals who might have entered the force through corruption hence failing to go through the usual screening process. Going by the views of police chiefs, only a few individuals are corrupt in the police force. Contrary to the opinion of police chiefs, critics of the force claim that the whole force is rotten.

It can also be established that irresistible chances offered to police officers make them corrupt. These factors include low wages and salaries, pessimism sorrounding the pay system and promotion, socialization process in the police force, political culture in various states that support corruption, non-reproting of crimes among the public and ineffective leadership on the side of government. The constituion gives the police a blank check as regards to individual freedom. This makes the public seek for an alternative way of compromizing the work of police.

Peratning to solutions to the problem of corruption in the police force, respondents gave various views. Some members respondents underscored the fact that police corruption have numerous effects in society.

Firstly, it affects public trust where the members of public try to use unscrupulous means of obtaining justice such as mob-justice. Furthermore, other organs of government tend to ape the behavior of police officers. Therefore, the findings of the research suggest that the main way through corruption can be avoided is offering police officers a good salary package.

Furthermore, the federal government, in collaboration with various states, should come up with training programs aiming at instiling ethics to the officers. Furthermore, the research reveals that police officers tend to shy away from misconduct in places where they are new. Therefore, the federal government should always ensure that tranfers are held after every six months. Finally, the government at both levels should come up with departments that handle public complains.

Corruption in the police service is a problem that has existed since time in memorial. It is found in almost all police departments. In society, lawa enforcers have the responsibility of ensuring that justice is achieved. The police agency holds the trust of the public. However, research shows that the trust can be lost in case police officers engage in corruption. This would lead to cases of non-reporting, which might even even crimes in the country.

It is therefore advisable that the police department handles the issue of corruption with the seriousness that it deserves. In case an officer is suspected to have engaged in corruption, thorough, independent, and credible investigations should be conducted. The state has the sole responsibility of ensuring that the security of citizens is mainatined at all costs. Corrupt officials should not be allowed to serve in any public office.

Creswell, J. (2003). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Crotty, M. (2003). The Foundations of Social Research: meaning and perspective in the research process . London: Sage.

Giuliani, R. (1995). Police Strategy No.7: Rooting Out Corruption; Building Organizational Integrity in the New York Police Department. New York: New York Police Department.

Goldstein, H. (1975). Police Corruption: A perspective on its nature. Washington: Police Foundation.

Hakim, C 2000, Research Design: Sucessful Designs for Social and Economic Research, Routledge, New York.

Klockars, C. (2000). The Measurement of Police Integrity . Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice.

Leedy, P., & Ormrod, J. (2005). Practical Research: Planning and Design . Prentice Hall: Pearson.

Rozella, F. (2003). Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual. ACLU Department of Public Education, 3(1).

Russell, B., & Ryan, G. (2009). Analyzing Qualitative Data: Systematic Approaches . London: Sage.

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• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, March 26). Corruption in Law Enforcement. https://ivypanda.com/essays/police-corruption/

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Bibliography

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• Police Misconduct
• Police Misconduct and Addressing Recommendations
• Police Ethics and Misconduct
• Police Misconduct: What Can Be Done?
• Police Authority or Brutality?
• Social Psychology: Police Brutality
• A Null and an Alternate Hypothesis
• Police Brutality: Causes and Solutions
• Police Misconduct and Forces of Deviance
• Police Corruption, Misconduct and Brutality: When a Good-Cop-Bad-Cop Routine Goes Wrong
• Police in Law Enforcement Misconduct
• Police Subculture: Culture’s Factors and Performance
• Sara Model-Community Problem Solving
• Importance of Police Training
• Public and Private Investigations

How the law itself can be a corrupting, criminal force – and what can be done about it

Senior Lecturer in Law, Kingston University

Disclosure statement

Lorenzo Pasculli is the Director of the Integrity Research Group (IRG) at Kingston University London, a not-for-profit research network committed to the interdisciplinary study of corruption and the promotion of integrity in the private and public sectors. The views expressed in the article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IRG and they are the result of the research Lorenzo is currently conducting on the criminogenic effects of the law and systemic corruption. Lorenzo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article beyond his affiliation with the IRG and his academic appointment.

Kingston University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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There are two sorts of corruptions — one when the people do not observe the laws; the other when they are corrupted by the laws: an incurable evil, because it is in the very remedy itself.

With these words more than 250 years ago, Montesquieu captured one of the most disturbing problems of contemporary lawmaking: the law itself can be a cause of crime. We are accustomed to think of law as the answer to crime, but research demonstrates that there are several ways in which the law itself can corrupt.

Have you ever felt that a certain regulation is unfair? Or been upset by the restrictive nature of the requirements to access essential services? Have you found some legal procedures to be too complicated to understand or put into practice? Any of these might have prompted you to wonder why on Earth you should abide by such rules, even if you dismissed the thought immediately afterwards. These are situations where the law might inadvertently lead citizens to find ways to circumvent it, often through criminal behaviour. We have identified three main typical scenarios in which the law involuntarily encourages criminality.

When the law is an ass

The first is when the law makes it difficult to satisfy human needs and ambitions. The prohibition of alcohol or heavy taxation of cigarettes in the US, for instance, can encourage the development of black markets and the move to more dangerous products, such as drugs .

The second is the reverse: sometimes the law creates opportunities for particular crimes by introducing benefits or concessions that can perversely invite fraud from those who are not entitled to them. The EU recently recognised that its current VAT regime exposes EU countries to unacceptable levels of fraud. On a global level, the tax regulations of particular jurisdictions – tax havens – lead them to be used for transnational tax avoidance and evasion.

What’s more, if the law gives public officers broad discretionary powers to administer such benefits, this invites abuse and corruption. In Zambia , customary land law gives too much power to traditional authorities in relation to the allocation of land, thus exposing them to bribery.

The third is when the law somehow makes the commission of a crime easier, or conviction for crimes more difficult. This happens when law enforcement is reduced or undermined, or when criminal justice is slow, uncertain or inefficient. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” as the saying goes.

Whenever a statute, regulation or judicial decision brings about one of these scenarios, it will probably carry some unintended increased risk of crime. But this is just the start. The risk can be aggravated by obscure, unreasonable or unjust norms and decisions, unnecessary, disproportionate or counterproductive measures, delayed judgements, or overly complicated regulations that cause frustration and mistrust towards the law, undermining law abidance.

Crime-proofing the law

Some pioneering researchers have studied ways to “crime-proof” legislation so that these risks are reduced. The most impressive effort has been made by Transcrime , a joint research centre of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, the University of Bologna and the University of Perugia. Led by Ernesto Savona, the team has created and tested its Crime Risk Assessment Mechanism, a sophisticated means to assess the potential crime risks inherent in proposed EU legislation.

There are limits. It can only be applied to legislation or regulations, overlooking other sources of law such as judicial or executive decisions. It is designed to assess proposed legislation before it is enacted, but often crime risks emerge only after an act has entered into force. It relies too much on experts, who play a central role in the process, which hinders community participation. Finally, as it is centred on the legislative procedures typically found in the EU or the West, this makes it difficult to export to other nations, such as those in the developing world where customary law has a larger role and where the problem is more pressing.

Back-to-basics lawmaking

What’s required is a more comprehensive, flexible strategy which, to be relevant to countries worldwide, must be based on fundamental principles shared by every democracy: the rule of law, fairness, equality, reasonableness, necessity, proportion, effectiveness, certainty, clarity, and accessibility. The primacy of the law demands that the law is written to the highest standards of quality. Any flaw, distortion or side effect can frustrate its purpose. To set in motion the creation of a culture of high-quality lawmaking that could achieve this, we could establish some minimum steps. For example:

Training: why do we assume that those involved in lawmaking are necessarily good at it? Everyone involved should receive training on how to administrate well and write effective legislation that avoids the unintended corrupting effects of the law.

Continuous risk of crime assessment: assessments of the crime risks implied by laws or decisions should be run before and after they are adopted, and integrated into existing practices.

Participation and transparency: the process of lawmaking should be as transparent and participative as possible. Consultations with relevant parties and the public are a powerful instrument of participation. But to be effective, such participation relies upon education and access to information – which the state has a duty to provide.

This emerging analysis of the law offers promising ways to reduce or prevent the law from creating a risk of crime. In the UK, the Good Law initiative, the consultation principles , and the Regulatory Impact Assessment are excellent examples.

What we need is a better awareness of how the law functions, and the possible distortions it may introduce. With education and research placed front and centre, we could usher in a new global culture of lawmaking – a starting point for a much needed global culture of law and justice.

• European Union (EU)
• Transnational crime
• Legal system
• Bureaucracy
• Customary law
• Developing countries

School of Social Sciences – Public Policy and International Relations opportunities

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Law enforcement misconduct bill moves forward in Legislature

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The Mississippi House has passed legislation to give the state’s officer training board the power to investigate law enforcement misconduct.

House Bill 691 now moves to the Senate, where its own version, SB 2286 , died on the calendar.  

Tindell said he’s happy to see “continuing conversations on how to improve the board and its oversight.”

If the bill becomes law, he anticipates the Mississippi Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training would hire two or three investigators who would investigate matters and make recommendations. 

The bill comes in the wake of an investigation by the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting at Mississippi Today and The New York Times into sheriffs and deputies across the state over allegations of sexual abuse, torture and corruption.

For the first time, deputies, sheriffs and state law enforcement would join police officers in the requirement to have up to 24 hours of continuing education training. Those who fail to train could lose their certifications.

Other changes would take place as well. Each year, the licensing board would have to report on its activities to the Legislature and the governor. 

The board’s makeup would be changed to include the public safety commissioner and the director of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy.

The bill calls for a nine-member board with the governor having four appoints – two police chiefs, a sheriff and a district attorney. Other members would be the presidents of the Constable Association, the Mississippi Campus Law Enforcement Association and the sheriff’s association (or designee).

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by Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today March 14, 2024

This <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2024/03/14/law-enforcement-misconduct-bill-moves-forward-in-legislature/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1.png?fit=134%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1113292" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

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The stories of investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell have helped put four Klansmen and a serial killer behind bars. His stories have also helped free two people from death row, exposed injustices and corruption, prompting investigations and reforms as well as the firings of boards and officials. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a longtime member of Investigative Reporters & Editors, and a winner of more than 30 other national awards, including a $500,000 MacArthur “genius” grant. After working for three decades for the statewide Clarion-Ledger, Mitchell left in 2019 and founded the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting.

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Regions & Countries

6. rule of law, safety and the judicial system.

In several of the 24 countries surveyed, rule of law issues and improving public safety rank toward the top half of the changes people say could help improve democracy in their country. And safety – whether that be reducing crime, supporting law enforcement or other policies – is particularly salient in some of the middle-income countries included in the survey (Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa).

In most places, though, relatively few people think that it’s important to reform the justice system itself. Israel is the notable exception, where judicial system reform was the top focus for improving democracy. At the time of the survey in Israel, waves of protests in response to proposed judicial reforms were sweeping the country, and respondents were particularly focused on how implementing those reforms – or blocking them – would improve Israel’s democracy. (The survey preceded the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the January Supreme Court ruling that struck down the reforms.)

Rule of law

In Greece, Poland and Kenya, issues related to the rule of law rank toward the top among the changes people think would help improve democracy in their country. Elsewhere, the issue typically hovers in the top 10 of the 17 substantive topics coded, but it doesn’t make the top five.

Rule of law concerns run the gamut, from people calling for politicians to “follow the law” and “follow the Constitution” to specific changes related to enforcing existing laws – or doing so more equitably.

In some countries, older people are more likely to mention the topic than younger ones. For example, 7% of South Africans ages 40 and older mention rule of law issues, compared with 2% of adults under 40. Men are also somewhat more likely than women to mention the topic in some places surveyed.

“Leaders should execute their duties and their mandate well, according to the Constitution.” Woman, 26, Kenya

In the U.S., conservatives (7%) are slightly more likely than liberals (4%) or moderates (3%) to mention the rule of law. The same is true in South Korea.

But, in Poland, those on the left are significantly more likely to mention the rule of law as a means to improve democracy. And those who have a unfavorable view of the right-wing populist party Law and Justice (PiS ), which was governing at the time the survey was conducted , are substantially more likely to mention rule of law than those who view PiS favorably (10% vs. 1%). (For more information on how we classify populist parties, refer to Appendix E .)

Follow and enforce existing laws

Respondents who emphasize rule of law often issue simple declarations about the need to “follow the Constitution” or “respect the Constitution.” At times, they include specific invocations of the U.S. Founding Fathers or Indonesia’s Pancasila (the five-principle state philosophy set forth at Indonesia’s founding). Other times, they indicate that current lawmakers are not following the Constitution, as in the case of one woman in Poland who said, “Democracy is misunderstood in Poland. The Constitution is violated, and politicians don’t care what people think.” And sometimes, the emphasis is simply on respecting the existing founding documents of the country. As one woman in Spain said: “I don’t think anything else is needed to fix democracy except compliance with the Constitution.”

“In my opinion, to improve democracy in Italy, it would be enough to respect the existing laws and respect the people.” Woman, 71, Italy

Beyond their country’s constitution, people call for the following of existing laws – essentially, “better enforcement of laws” already on the books. In Brazil, for example, one woman complained, “The laws that are created are often not enforced.” In Germany, a woman said, “The laws that we have should be more closely observed. That would change a lot.”

People also highlight the importance of equitably applying the law to all people in the country. One Indian man mentioned the importance of justice across social classes: “The legal system should not differentiate between the rich and the poor.” In Greece, some emphasized enforcing laws to prevent “favoritism” and allow “meritocracy.” (For more on issues of individual rights and equality, read Chapter 4 .)

“Our democracy is a sham democracy. It protects those in power, and it is nonexistent for the powerless. If the law is not equal for everyone, democracy is gone.” Man, 72, Italy

Applying laws to politicians – including prosecuting them, when needed

Anger about poor enforcement of the rule of law sometimes centers on politicians . One South African woman said democracy would improve if “we make sure we stick to the laws, irrespective of who breaks them. To create trust in this country, we need to get rid of corrupt officials.” Respondents also mention prosecuting corrupt politicians :

“Punish all the political governors who are thieves, removing them from office.”

– Man, 71, Mexico

“Immunity of representatives should be abolished.”

– Man, 37, Germany

“That accused officials can go to jail. Investigate them to see if they are honest and dedicated to the people.”

– Woman, 28, Argentina

“Taking [former prime minister] Raila Odinga to the International Criminal Court!”

– Man, 30, Kenya

Relatedly, people emphasize the need to prevent convicted or corrupt officials from continuing to hold office:

“End corruption, and elected officials must resign if they are indicted.”

– Woman, 56, France

“Members of the National Assembly should be disqualified if they are corrupt.”

– Man, 58, South Korea

“The leaders who have criminal cases against them should not have the right to contest elections.”

– Man, 19, India

“Politicians once convicted of a criminal offense or a crime of moral turpitude should be dismissed from public office immediately without any recourse and never be allowed to serve again.”

– Man, 71, U.S.

(For more on views of politicians, read Chapter 1 .)

Ensuring safety

“Democracy in this country has been distorted. Lack of security could improve with the Armed Forces on the streets.” Man, 46, Argentina

Public safety – including calls to reduce crime, improve policing and protect women – is also seen as a way to improve democracy, particularly in some of the middle-income countries surveyed. The issue appears in the top 10 named in Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa.

In Argentina, which is in the midst of its worst economic crisis in decades , safety is ranked fourth of the 17 substantive topics coded – higher than any other survey country. Some Argentines tie crime and the economy together, as in the case of one woman’s declaration: “More work, less violence.”

In most other countries, though, focusing on safety is less of a priority to improve democracy.

Crime, safety and tougher punishments

Respondents who mention safety often focus specifically on lowering crime . They note that democracy would improve if there were “less murder,” “stricter laws for crimes against women and strict action should be taken against rapists,” and “more safety,” among other issues. These sentiments are present in both high-income and middle-income economies. For example, a Swedish man said, “Start with better laws and better sentences or penalties to get rid of all crime.” And a Mexican woman asked for “good governors to put an end to all crime, to have more surveillance.”

“As a democratic country, crack down on crime properly.” Man, 69, Japan

Some of these responses focus expressly on safety for women . A woman in India had a list of changes, suggesting, “Technology should be improved, bribery should be stopped, women should be protected, women should be employed, education should be better, law and order should be maintained.” Another woman in Mexico suggested that the government “pay more attention to what they need to do to support women who suffer violence, rape or mistreatment.” But women were not the only people calling for this democratic improvement: “Women and children are dying every day; can’t they increase security in our country?” asked a South African man.

Concerns about crime and safety lead some to favor stricter punishments for criminals. For example, people mention the need for “a tougher hand with criminals,” and generally “stricter laws.” They also offer specific policy solutions, including calls to reinstate the death penalty and put in place more severe punishments and prison sentences.

The role of law enforcement

“The police should stop corruption and respect the law. Corruption is what makes people lose confidence in the country. Even those who work in government should be ethical and respect the laws of the country.” Man, 40, South Africa

For many people who highlight safety as a means to improve democracy, empowering law enforcement is a good place to start. “We can make democracy improve by having strong institutions. The Constitution should be respected, the security personnel should do their best in making sure rules are respected,” said a Nigerian man. And an Australian woman suggested, “Pay police the same amounts CEOs get and then we might attract better people to the job.”

Others take issue with the disrespect that police forces face in their country , like a German man who said, “Crack down on people who show toughness against the police, fire brigade and rescue workers. A quick deportation of people who do not comply with law and order.” And a French woman thought people should “respect the law, respect the police, respect your superior, no violence.”

“Laws that effectively treat police and politicians equally when they commit unlawful acts against the public. We should not place them above others by the nature of their positions. These changes alone would mitigate many cases of corruption and abuse of power being seen today.” Man, 53, U.S.

Still, questions of police corruption , their immunity from prosecution and the need to apply the law to them were top of mind for some respondents. In the U.S., there were some who called for “abolishing the police,” while in Israel, people were sometimes critical of police violence against the Arab community. For example, one Israeli woman said, “The police should treat Arabs as citizens and not as terrorists.”

Safety and immigration

In South Africa and the U.S., some responses appealing for safety mentioned border security specifically. For example, one South African man suggested his country “close our borders, minimize crime.” Another South African man said, “Strict security on the country borders, more visible policy to reduce crime.” An American woman felt similarly that immigration and crime were linked: “Take care of American citizens first, take care of crime and prosecute criminals, close borders.” And another U.S. woman said, “Finish the wall at the border and prosecute street gangs and criminals.”

The judicial system

In most countries surveyed, people stop short of calling for changes to the judicial system as a way to improve their nation’s democracy. Outside of Israel, the issue never ranks higher than 10th among the 17 substantive topics coded.

In Israel, however, judicial system reform is the top issue of those coded. And the issue comes up more among Israelis on the ideological right (21%) than those in the center (11%) or on the left (10%). Israelis who see large divisions across ideological lines or between parties in their country are also about twice as likely as those who don’t see strong conflicts to mention judicial system reform.

In the U.S., those on the left are more likely to mention judicial system reform than those on the right.

The people who suggest judicial system reform often fit squarely into two groups: 1) those who want “less judicial activism” and “less interference” from judges; and 2) those who want their judges to be more independent and thus less subservient to politicians.

Keeping judges out of politics

“Less interference from the judiciary.” Man, 60, Brazil

Some express concerns about judges meddling in politics – essentially, creating legislation from the bench. For example, one American man complained that “activist judges” were “making laws instead of applying the laws as written.”

A Spanish man also focused on the conflict between the legislative branch and the judiciary, noting, “It would be better if the justices did not interfere so much in the work of the government. I believe that the government has to govern and that the judges are oppositional. They should not be doing political work.” In Spain, the survey was fielded a few months after the Spanish Constitutional Court blocked a parliamentary initiative focused on simplifying the method of electing court members.

Keeping politics out of the judicial system

In some countries, the concern centers more on politicians meddling in the justice system – with calls for the judiciary to have “true independence.” In Poland, for example, years of judicial reform have focused on allowing political oversight of judges, leading to clashes with the European Court of Justice around the time of the survey. Polish respondents highlighted the need to elect new judges to the Constitutional Tribunal and change the people on it – or, as one woman said, “reelect the Constitutional Tribunal without politicians.” (For more on views of politicians, read Chapter 1 .)

People elsewhere also highlight the political nature of judges . In the U.S., for example, one woman said that “nominees for the Supreme Court should not be denied by Congress if they are qualified. There must be a way to control extremely partisan judges???” In the UK, another woman emphasized how “the courts are quite biased” and democracy would improve with “more impartial courts.”

Israel: Tension between interference and independence

“To not let the legal reform go through and eliminate the Court and all the gatekeepers.” Woman, 41, Israel

In Israel – where, at the time of the survey, the government was pushing a controversial “reasonableness” bill meant to weaken the Supreme Court’s power to cancel government decisions – people mentioned both interference and independence.

For example, concerns about interference centered on “eliminating the High Court’s tyranny” and “curtailing the unlimited power that the High Court appropriated to itself.” Given the timing of the survey, people also focused on the need to push through the then-pending legislation, as in the case of one man who said, “We should quickly complete the legislation of Yariv Levin and cut off, once and for all, the head of the snake in the form of the legal system headed by the High Court.”

“To pass the laws that will limit the unbridled power of the court that acts as if our country was its private property.” Woman, 19, Israel

Those focused on the independence of the judiciary highlighted the need to “preserve the court,” to “keep the Supreme Court independent and not subordinate to anybody or entity,” and to “do everything to keep the last word of the High Court on any social and moral issue.”

“In order to improve democracy, the judiciary must be fixed. Courts lack clerks, they save money and do damage. I prefer they spend more and make the law work. Some services take years to obtain, for sentences to be carried out.” Man, 82, Italy

Improving day-to-day functioning of the judiciary

Many of the other ways that people want to fix the judicial system focused on its day-to-day operation. For example, respondents in multiple countries highlight the speed of decisions:

“Judicial processes should be expedited!”

– Man, 18, Argentina

“The judiciary should be reformed so court proceedings are faster.”

– Man, 65, Italy

“Cases should be adjudicated faster.”

– Woman, 45, Greece

Others note that certain services were limited during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not yet returned, saying there is more need for “access to the courts.” Some people call for technological changes, like offering live proceedings.

Supreme Court reform in the U.S.

In the U.S., while there are many different suggestions for judicial reform, one common refrain was the need for changes specifically in the Supreme Court. Many of these responses center around term limits for justices . People express concern about the lifetime nature of court appointments and about long-serving justices getting out of touch.

For example, one woman said, “We should limit the terms of the Supreme Court justices to 10 years. Some of them are so old and have very conservative views of the world, and their beliefs are no longer in sync with the rest of the U.S. Democracy means options and choices – so how can we have democracy when we are stuck with the same Supreme Court judges year after year?” Another woman noted, “Terms should be shorter, because if someone does a bad job, it’s hard to get them out.” These sentiments lead to some calling specifically for a mandatory retirement age.

Still others focus on changing how justices are appointed , including:

“Having term limits for Supreme Court justices that are staggered so that each president can choose one justice during his or her four-year term.”

– Woman, 60, U.S.

“Add more judges to the Supreme Court.”

– Woman, 54, U.S.

“The Supreme Court should have an equal number of judges across parties.”

– Woman, 71, U.S.

“U.S. Supreme Court justice confirmation should not be subject to Senate majority party discretion.”

– Man, 73, U.S.

And, while a code of ethics for the Supreme Court has come out since the survey was fielded, at least one respondent noted a need for that.

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Table of contents, freedom, elections, voice: how people in australia and the uk define democracy, global public opinion in an era of democratic anxiety, most people in advanced economies think their own government respects personal freedoms, more people globally see racial, ethnic discrimination as a serious problem in the u.s. than in their own society, citizens in advanced economies want significant changes to their political systems, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The White Tiger — The Corruption of the Law Enforcement in Aravind Adiga’s Novel The White Tiger

The Corruption of The Law Enforcement in Aravind Adiga's Novel The White Tiger

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UNODC and AKPOL Celebrate Cadets as Winners of International Essay Competition on Police Integrity

A collaboration to shape Indonesian future leaders

Semarang, Indonesia - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in a collaboration with the Indonesian Police Academy (AkPol), has taken a significant step forward in fostering integrity among future law enforcement officers. 

On March 4, 2024, the Akademi Kepolisian Semarang became the venue for an important event, the Courtesy Call and Award Ceremony for the UNODC Essay Competition on Police Integrity. This event not only highlighted the shared commitment of UNODC and Akpol to ethical policing but also showcased the remarkable talents of police cadets who are prepared to lead by example. 

The day began with a formal courtesy call at the Lounge Tri Brata Utama, where officials from both organizations came together. Participants included the Governor and Deputy Governor of Akpol, along with key directors and department heads, and representatives from the UNODC Indonesia Office. This gathering was dedicated to celebrating the integrity and accountability within the Indonesian police force. 

" We extend our gratitude for providing our cadets with the invaluable opportunity to engage in this critical competition focused on anti-corruption. This initiative is important, laying down a robust foundation for nurturing future leaders who are not just aware of the challenges of corruption but are also equipped to tackle them head-on. It prepares them to spearhead Indonesia's journey towards achieving its zenith of prosperity by 2045.” S aid Inspector General of Police Krisno H. Siregar, S.I.K., M.H., Governor of the Police Academy , in his speech. 

He added, “Such initiative underscores our dedication to enable an environment at the academy and within the nation that is rooted in integrity, professionalism, and exceptionalism, ensuring that our future leaders are well-prepared to navigate and lead in complex environments. " 

The Award Ceremony unfolded at the Gedung Manunggal, starting with the Indonesian national anthem, followed by an invocation. The ceremony was addressed by the Akpol Governor and the Head of the UNODC Indonesia Office, both underscoring the critical role of ethics in law enforcement. The focal point of the event was the presentation of awards to the essay competition winners, led by Helena Fiorentina, Ilham Muhammad Dzaki, and John Anderson Batara Aryasena, who emerged as the top honorees for their insightful explorations into police integrity. The ceremony further acknowledged the top ten finalists, with certificates and Sustainable Development Goals pins, emblematic of their commitment to global ethical standards and justice. The top 10 winners and finalists are: 

• 1st place winner - Helena Fiorentina 
• 2nd place winner - Ilham Muhammad Dzaki 
• 3rd place winner - John Anderson Batara Aryasena 
• 4th place - Ferditho Alehandro Simatupang 
• Rank 5 - Brian Velino Adinata 
• Rank 6 - Andreanitha Elsye Pattinasarany 
• Rank 7 - Ansyah Bhakti Satyabharda 
• Rank 8 - Theodore Gomgom Octofarrel 
• Rank 9 - I Wayan Nugraha Satya Ananda 
• Rank 10 - Tesalonika 

" I wish to express my deepest admiration and gratitude to the organizers, participants, and winners of this insightful essay competition. Your collective dedication to exploring and advocating for integrity within law enforcement is not only commendable but essential for the progress of our societies. As future pillars of justice and guardians of public trust, your journey is marked by the principles of integrity, fairness, and ethical conduct you've so eloquently discussed. Let this event be a reminder of our shared commitment to uphold these values in every action we take and decision we make. I encourage you to revisit your essays and the ideals they embody regularly, allowing them to guide and inspire you through the challenges ahead. Remember, our ultimate aim is to serve and protect the citizens, with a special focus on those most in need of our support and protection. Together, with optimism and a steadfast commitment to integrity, we can foster a more just, equitable, and inclusive future for all. " Said Erik Van Der Veen, Head of Office and UNODC Liaison to ASEAN.  

This award ceremony stems from a broader initiative to promote ethics and integrity among police cadets in Southeast Asia. The UNODC has been organizing trainings and workshops on these subjects, culminating in an essay competition across Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The competition, receiving 62 entries, aimed to deepen cadets' understanding of corruption prevention, integrity, and ethical policing frameworks.  

The event on March 4 served not only as a platform to recognize individual achievements but also as an affirmation of the ongoing partnership between UNODC and police academies in nurturing a culture of integrity within law enforcement agencies. 

Looking ahead, the collaboration between UNODC and the Indonesian Police Academy signifies a continued dedication to enhancing the moral compass of future law enforcement officers. As these young cadets embark on their careers, the lessons learned and the recognition received promise to influence positively the landscape of policing in Indonesia and beyond. 

Also read: Illuminating Integrity Fighting Corruption: Messages from AKPOL Cadets Winning International Essay Competition

Bayu Dwityo Wicaksono

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Chinese Magnate Admits to Making Straw Donations to N.Y. Politicians

Mayor Eric Adams was among those who received illegal donations from Hui Qin, a Chinese businessman, a person familiar with the federal case said.

By Karen Zraick ,  William K. Rashbaum and Dana Rubinstein

A Chinese business titan pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges that he made more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions to political candidates — including, a person familiar with the case said, to a New York congressman and Mayor Eric Adams.

Hui Qin, 56, of Old Westbury, N.Y., who was once listed on Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires, ran a now-defunct entertainment business called SMI Culture. But he has been in federal custody since the fall, when he was arrested at an apartment he kept at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan on charges of using fake identification.

Mr. Qin asked others to contribute to political campaigns of his choosing, and he agreed to reimburse them, in 2021 and 2022, according to prosecutors. The other figures who received donations were Representative Andrew Garbarino of Long Island and Allan Fung, a former mayor of Cranston, R.I., who ran for Congress, the person familiar with the case said. Both are Republicans, while Mr. Adams is a Democrat.

Mr. Qin concealed his activities from the officials he was raising money for, according to a criminal complaint filed in the case. As a result, they unwittingly filed false reports.

Breon S. Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that Mr. Qin had admitted to “engaging in a brazen web of deception” that spread lies to the authorities overseeing elections.

“Ensuring election integrity and rooting out campaign contribution fraud are priorities of the Department of Justice,” Mr. Peace said in a statement. “No one is above the law, no matter their wealth or station in society.”

Vito Pitta, Mr. Adams’s lawyer for his 2021 campaign, said, “As the federal government made clear today, the campaign had no knowledge of a straw donor scheme — and no member of the campaign has been charged with or accused of any wrongdoing.”

Mr. Fung and Representative Garbarino did not respond to requests for comment.

Mr. Qin’s legal woes go far beyond the charges to which he pleaded guilty in federal court in Central Islip, N.Y., on Monday. In September, Mr. Qin was arrested by the police in Nassau County, who charged that he had tried to attack his ex-wife, with whom he still lived, before she was scheduled to testify in a civil case against him in Manhattan federal court.

He had tried to bash open a locked door with an ax in the September episode, which came months after another attack in which he attempted to strangle her, prosecutors said.

Mr. Qin was being sued in Manhattan by a Chinese investment management group to enforce a $450 million foreign arbitration award against him. He was alleged to have transferred ownership of his Long Island home to his ex-wife and ex-mother-in-law for only $10 after arbitration began in China.

He also pleaded guilty on Monday to immigration fraud and producing false identification. He had also used the name Muk Lam Li for years, but omitted that information on his green card application, prosecutors said.

As part of a deal with prosecutors, he agreed to leave the United States after serving his sentence. His sentencing is set for May 14; prosecutors said they would ask the judge for a sentence no longer than six months if Mr. Qin abides by the terms of the plea agreement.

A lawyer for Mr. Qin, Henry Mazurek, said his client was pleased that the case had been resolved.

“After years of investigation, the government’s case resulted in a plea in which they recommended no more than six months’ imprisonment,” he said. “Mr. Qin is happy to have this case behind him and looks forward to re-establishing his business career outside the United States.”

Mr. Adams’s campaigns and his administration have become the focus of several investigations.

In September, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office indicted Eric Ulrich, Mr. Adams’s former senior adviser and then buildings commissioner, on charges of taking bribes. In November, F.B.I. agents searched the home of the mayor’s inexperienced chief fund-raiser, Brianna Suggs, as well as the homes of Rana Abbasova, an aide in Mr. Adams’s international affairs office, and Cenk Öcal, a former Turkish Airlines executive who served on the mayor’s transition team.

Days later, agents stopped Mr. Adams on the street, asked his security detail to step aside and seized his electronic devices, part of a criminal inquiry into whether his 2021 campaign conspired to funnel illegal foreign donations into his coffers.

For investigators, straw donors have been a recurring theme.

In February, Dwayne Montgomery, a retired police inspector who had been friendly with the mayor, pleaded guilty to conspiring to direct straw donors to the mayor’s campaign. Two other donors named in the same indictment, the brothers Shahid Mushtaq and Yahya Mushtaq, pleaded guilty in October.

Karen Zraick covers federal law enforcement, courts and criminal justice and is based in New York. More about Karen Zraick

William K. Rashbaum is a senior writer on the Metro desk, where he covers political and municipal corruption, courts, terrorism and law enforcement. He was a part of the team awarded the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. More about William K. Rashbaum

Dana Rubinstein covers New York City politics and government for The Times. More about Dana Rubinstein

Politics in the New York Region

Illegal Donations: A Chinese business titan pleaded guilty to federal charges that he made more than $10,000 in straw donor contributions to political candidates  — including, a person familiar with the case said, to a New York congressman and Mayor Eric Adams.

A Cannabis Mess: Gov. Kathy Hochul has ordered officials to come up with a fix for the way New York licenses cannabis businesses  amid widespread frustration over the plodding pace of the state’s legal cannabis rollout.

N.Y. Budget: Both of New York’s legislative chambers have announced their budget proposals. They have until April 1 to hash out a spending plan  with Gov. Kathy Hochul, who unveiled her proposal in January .

Covid Deaths: Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was subpoenaed to appear  before a House subcommittee to answer for his administration’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, a development that could further damage his chances at a political comeback.

Redistricting: After rejecting a congressional map proposed by the state’s bipartisan redistricting commission  and seizing control of the drawing process, Democrats adopted new district lines  that would improve their chances of winning the House majority in November, but not drastically.

Long Odds: Republicans selected Mike Sapraicone, a former police detective who runs a security firm  and positions himself as a moderate, as their preferred nominee in a long-shot bid to unseat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.