An evaluation of independent investigative mechanisms in the South African Police Services to control corruption: a criminological perspective.

Abstract

Police corruption is a complex worldwide phenomenon, both in developing and developed countries. The questions arise as to where members of society turn to when it is those that have oathed to serve and protect tend to be the ones that do the damage. This study focuses on strategies that are in place to curb police corruption in the South African Police Services as an organisation. Data for this study were collected qualitatively through semi-structured interviews with purposively selected participants. Twenty-one participants participated in this study. This study used both descriptive and exploratory research designs. The study used two theories in exploring the possible causes of police corruption, namely Rational Choice Theory (RCT) and Social Learning Theory. These two theories reflected on police corruption as crime being a choice, and crime being learned through motivation. The findings were that independent strategies are there, but so are general ones, ones within the organisation. It has been discovered that even though the strategies are there, police corruption continues being problematic, due to such reasons associated with the challenges faced by officers on a daily basis, like inadequate salaries, thus corruption is something they do not do willingly but rather circumstantial. At the end of the day, they themselves as police disciplinarians themselves, being police officers as well, feel that salaries must be increased.