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Drug corruption in undercover agents: Measuring the risk
Author(s) -
Girodo Michel
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2370090310
Subject(s) - law enforcement , situational ethics , language change , personality , computer security , psychology , neuroticism , social psychology , criminology , work (physics) , antisocial personality disorder , substance abuse , conscientiousness , big five personality traits , poison control , medicine , extraversion and introversion , political science , injury prevention , engineering , computer science , psychiatry , law , environmental health , mechanical engineering , art , literature
Drug corruption is more likely among law enforcement officers who use undercover investigative methods. Current views of police corruption attribute drug corruption either to flaws in character or to the corrupting criminal environment where investigations are carried out. This article presents a pragmatic approach to the interaction between personality and situational causes, and findings from an assessment of a large group of undercover agents. Greater drug/alcohol abuse and disciplinary problems were linked to amount of undercover work. For the majority of agents, the risk for drug corruption was related to either poor impulse control, Neuroticism, or a desire to experiment with new experiences. Agents assessed as having a Disciplined Self‐Image presented a lower risk for drug corruption while also showing risk taking and motivational qualities required for successful undercover performances. Certain personality traits of interest may only manifest themselves as disciplined or undisciplined conduct when given the opportunity by an instigating environment.