Modern Ways of Combating Corruption in the System of Public Authorities

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to define corruption, determine its specific features and work out the methods of counteracting this negative phenomenon. Methods of combating corruption offences in the sphere of public authorities are an urgent topic for both Russian and foreign researchers. The authors analyze a number of normative legal acts that contain definitions of corruption and list its key features. They discuss effective methods of combating corruption in the work of public authority bodies. They also examine dominant views of foreign legal scholars on the typical manifestations of corruption. The authors present two methods of counteracting this negative phenomenon: prosecution of guilty persons; building a system of prevention measures that will reduce the frequency of corruption offences. The novelty of this research consists in showing the importance of improving the measures of prevention, strengthening the incentives and ensuring the optimization of restrictions to improve discipline, law and order in the work of public authorities. The article widens the understanding of the effectiveness of monitoring and other measures of counteracting corruption, including the cooperation with the institutions of civil society. The authors speak of the special importance of moral principles (honesty, integrity, etc.) in combating corruption, especially in the work of law enforcement bodies. They conclude that at present corruption counteraction in the work of public authorities is not systemic; also that it is necessary to introduce a legislative regulation of legally important procedures in the work of public authorities and increase their transparency, providing opportunities for control by other bodies of power and by the civil society. The clauses and conclusions of the article could be used in future research aimed at developing effective measures to combat corruption in the work of public authorities.