The ‘Economic Activities' of Russian Police

Abstract

This research is an analysis of the ‘economic activities' of Russian police officers. ‘Economic activities' include acts defined as police corruption and police misconduct. Some of the activities are those which, if pursued in police agencies in the United States, would be defined as ‘moonlighting’. The Russian Law of the Militia defines not only police corruption and other forms of misconduct but defines and limits police participation in what would be considered legal economic activities. This law limits police ‘moonlighting’ to teaching, research or the arts. Other legitimate work such as private security, sales, etc comes to be defined as ‘misconduct’. The findings are based on surveys from 2,209 police officers stationed in eight regions of Russia during 2002. The surveys solicited self-report information on a variety of forms of police misconduct and corruption as well as attitudes concerning police misconduct and corruption and public attitudes toward police. In addition to the survey, interviews were conducted with police to gather qualitative information. The results showed that Russian police are highly involved in ‘economic’ activities in addition to their regular responsibilities as police. Many of the economic activities involve corruption. Many are those prohibited by the Law of the Militia. In fact, most of the reported activity was police misconduct created through the application of the Law of the Militia. It would not be considered illegal, immoral or unethical if the individual involved were not a police officer. This Law of the Militia plays a significant role in the institutionalisation of corruption and the creation of secondary deviance within this police force.

Fighting Corruption in Russia: Its Characteristics and Purpose

“…These individuals, to the detriment of public interests, are beginning to directly control the private sector of the economy in order to satisfy their needs through the realization of diverse illegal activities, such as abuse of power and extortion (Kordonsky, 2008: 88–89; Vasilieva, 2014). These actions are also performed by subordinate officials who participate in the economic activity and control companies at the local level (Wilson et al, 2008). It is argued that law enforcement agencies have become the main actors in the organized corruption networks: in exchange for monetary reward, they control organized criminal groups or are directly involved in illegal business operations (Cheloukhine and Haberfeld, 2011; Kordonsky, 2016: 147).…”

“…As an institutionalized phenomenon, corruption in Russia has not only transformed into a common behavioural pattern for many citizens (Barsukova, 2009; Galickiy and Levin, 2013; Gilinskiy, 2008; Golovshhinskiy, 2013a; Satarova, 2013; Shlapentokh, 2003) but it also strongly affects all law enforcement agencies which supposedly fight it (Cheloukhine and King, 2007; Fisenko, 2015; Levin and Satarov, 2012; Moiseev and Prokuratov, 2014; Romanova, 2015; Wilson et al, 2008). Corruption has been recognized as one of the main problems of modern Russia at all press conferences held by current President Putin and Prime Minister Medvedev.…”

Creolization of Values: How Fair Taxation is Achieved for Everyone Book review: Björklund Larsen L. (2017) Shaping Taxpayers: Values in Action at the Swedish Tax Agency , New York; Oxford: Berghahn Books. 220 p.

“…В отличие от государственных органов и организаций, у коммерческих организаций намного больше возможностей для предоставления неформальных бесплатных услуг сотрудникам полиции, чем последние пользуются, согласно свидетельствам, полученным из эмпирических качественных исследований [Zernova 2011]. Опросные данные свидетельствуют в пользу того, что сотрудники полиции часто оказывают охранные услуги фирмам и предприятиям, выходя за рамки своих должностных обязанностей [Wilson et al 2008]. Таким образом, происходит приватизация принудительных ресурсов государства [Barsukova, Radaev 2012].…”

1 + 1: The Genes for Sale Book Review: Almeling R. (2011) Sex Cells: The Medical Market for Eggsand Sperm. Berkeley: University of California Press

“…Исследования полиции были в основном направлены на анализ коррупции среди полицейских [Beck, Lee 2002], их нелегальной экономической деятельности [Wilson et al 2008;Dubova, Kosals2013], а также на анализ отношения населения к полиции [Gerber, Mendelson2008 ] и случаев превышения полномочий полицейскими [Gilinskiy 2011]..…”