Corruption Is Actually Just a Black Market for the Property Rights over which Politicians and Bureaucrats Have Allocative Power

“Chicago Cop Goes Undercover to Crack a Police Dope Ring,” “This Judge Is the Defendant,” “A Federal Judge Goes on Trial in Nevada on Bribery Charges,” “More Miami Cops Are Arrested,” “A Prosecutor on Trial,” “Jailed U.S. Judge Resists Resigning.” This sample of headlines from news magazine and newspaper articles only touches the surface of the corruption problem among law enforcement officials. Political corruption has been a fact of life since government got into the business of law enforcement. Corruption is actually just a black market for the property rights over which politicians and bureaucrats have allocative power. Rather than assigning rights according to political power, rights are sold to the highest bidder. If bureaucrats are not monitored closely, then self-interest motives may really take over and corruption is likely. To get some idea of the level of corruption in law enforcement, we must examine the opportunities for corruption and the institutionalized incentives to carry out corrupt acts that face public sector law enforcement officials.

--Bruce L. Benson, The Enterprise of Law: Justice Without the State (Oakland, CA: The Independent Institute, 2011), 159.