Individual corruption, when occurring within corrections, nearly always results in institutional corruption, which is defined as the undermining of the purposes of an institution over time (Satz, 2013). The primary difference between individual corruption and institutional corruption is that institutional corruption does not necessarily “involve quid pro quo exchanges” as individual corruption requires (Satz, 2013, p. 997). Also, it cannot be obtained in a single incident like individual corruption can. An act that otherwise may be completely harmless but over time and when adopted as a widespread practice tends to demoralize the objectives and purposes of the institution is the central cause of institutional corruption (Satz, 2013). Instances
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Such was a case uncovered in Maryland in 2013. Marimow and Wagner (2013) reported that thirteen female prison guards were charged in a federal racketeering indictment and prosecuted for “essentially hand[ing] over control of a Baltimore jail to gang leaders.” The guards were alleged to have assisted the Black Guerilla Family (BGF), a gang started in the 1960s in California prisons, run the gang’s criminal business by smuggling in contraband such as prescription medications and cell phones (Marimow & Wagner, 2013), in addition to, according to Dvorak (2013), food, money, and tobacco products. According to records, one of the gang leaders, Tavon White, incarcerated since 2009 for attempted murder charges, was alleged to have used profits from the prison-run business to purchase luxury automobiles, such as a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz, which he let certain guards drive. Additionally, five children were sired by White with four guards, and two of them had his first name tattooed on them – one on her wrist and the other on her neck (Marimow & Wagner, 2013). During the investigation a wiretapped unearthed a conversation in which White commented to an acquaintance, “This is my jail. You understand that? I’m dead serious. I make every final call in this jail” (Marimow & Wagner, 2013). A dozen other defendants, including outside suppliers and inmates, also were charged with drug conspiracy and
Such was a case uncovered in Maryland in 2013. Marimow and Wagner (2013) reported that thirteen female prison guards were charged in a federal racketeering indictment and prosecuted for “essentially hand[ing] over control of a Baltimore jail to gang leaders.” The guards were alleged to have assisted the Black Guerilla Family (BGF), a gang started in the 1960s in California prisons, run the gang’s criminal business by smuggling in contraband such as prescription medications and cell phones (Marimow & Wagner, 2013), in addition to, according to Dvorak (2013), food, money, and tobacco products. According to records, one of the gang leaders, Tavon White, incarcerated since 2009 for attempted murder charges, was alleged to have used profits from the prison-run business to purchase luxury automobiles, such as a BMW and a Mercedes-Benz, which he let certain guards drive. Additionally, five children were sired by White with four guards, and two of them had his first name tattooed on them – one on her wrist and the other on her neck (Marimow & Wagner, 2013). During the investigation a wiretapped unearthed a conversation in which White commented to an acquaintance, “This is my jail. You understand that? I’m dead serious. I make every final call in this jail” (Marimow & Wagner, 2013). A dozen other defendants, including outside suppliers and inmates, also were charged with drug conspiracy and