Scandals and reforms: combating police corruption in Taiwan

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the causes of police corruption in Taiwan and identify those factors which can enhance the status of police.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and eight in-depth interviews of informants are employed to support the arguments of environment, education, governance and culture and to formulate a typology of police corruption in Taiwan.FindingsThe literature review and eight interviews confirm that individual cases of police corruption have replaced systemic police corruption in Taiwan. The author concludes that police corruption should be addressed in the context of both environment and institutional design. Even though the public perceptions of police integrity in Taiwan have been trending positively over the years, the individual cases of police corruption which occur within certain precincts indicate the continued importance of initiating institutional reforms. The public perceptions of Taiwan’s police force will be further improved if police corruption can be minimized and properly controlled.Practical implicationsThis paper can serve as a benchmark to evaluate future development of Taiwan police corruption.Originality/valueThis paper provides an analysis of the causes of police corruption in Taiwan and the measures taken to curb it.