Prosecuting a scapegoat for the state will not lead to justice for the shootings on Bloody Sunday

A former British paratrooper involved with the shooting dead of 14 unarmed demonstrators on ‘Bloody Sunday’ (in Derry, in 1972), was arrested in November last year. Maurice Punch argues that this is a graphic example of a scapegoat masking the sins of the state. It does not properly address the issues of The Troubles to put one individual in the dock, when elites are not made accountable for their actions

Portraying the nature of corruption: Using an explorative case-study design

What is the nature of corruption in Western democracies? To answer this research question, the authors study 10 Dutch corruption cases in depth, looking at confidential criminal files. The cases allow them to sketch a general profile of a corruption case. The authors offer nine propositions to portray the nature of corruption. They conclude that corruption usually takes place within enduring relationships, that the process of becoming corrupt can be characterized as a slippery slope, and that important motives for corruption, aside from material gain, include friendship or love, status, and the desire to impress others. The explorative multiple case study methodology helps to expand our understanding of the way in which officials become corrupt. © 2008 The American Society for Public Administration

Shoot to kill: police accountability, firearms and fatal force

The shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell underground station in 2005 raised acute issues about operational practice, legitimacy, accountability and policy making regarding police use of fatal force. It dramatically exposed a policy, referred to popularly as 'shoot to kill', which came not from Parliament but from the non-statutory ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers). This vital and timely book unravels these often misunderstood matters with a fresh look at firearms practice and policy in a traditionally 'unarmed' police service. It is essential reading for all those interested in the state's role in defining coercion and in policing a democracy

State violence, collusion and the troubles

The period in Northern Ireland known as 'the Troubles' (1968-98) seemed to have been conclusively ended by the official peace process. But recent violence from dissident Republicans shows that tensions from the past remain unresolved. State Violence, Collusion and the Troubles reveals disturbing unanswered questions about the use of state violence during this period. Maurice Punch documents in chilling detail how the British government turned to desperate, illegal measures in a time of crisis, disregarding domestic and international law. He broadens out his analysis to consider other cases of state violence against ‘insurgent groups’ in Spain and South Africa. This is the story of how the British state collaborated with violent groups and directly participated in illegal violence. It also raises urgent questions about why states around the world continue to deploy such violence rather than seeking durable political settlements

Researching law enforcement and public health

Academic and practitioner attention to law enforcement and public health/LEPH is relatively new. Its seemingly fresh promise can convey a picture of smart, joined-up and reflective inter-agency cooperation to assist the vulnerable and to support victims. But arriving at and establishing cooperation between the two worlds has been a prolonged and even vacillating process, while continuity may now be endangered. This Special Edition interrogates LEPH in detail; how has it developed, what are its current trajectories, and can its promise adapt and even survive in these tough times? The contributors pay special attention to the conceptual and research foundations that must underpin effective and just engagement between LEPH

Police corruption: apples, barrels and orchards

In my work on police corruption I speak of 'organisational deviance' where the organisation encourages or colludes in deviant behaviour. There are no 'individuals' in organisations, I claim, and people who enter them change identity. And the pressures, rationalisations, and opportunities for deviance - for or against the institution - are always related 'collectively' to the social nature of work, the diverse cultures, and the structure of the organisation