An Analysis of the Crimes of Corruption and Judicial Decisions in Yunlin County Township Offices
Yu-Tien Huang, Chen-Yu Wang
Abstract
The crimes of corruption refer to any criminal acts committed by civil servants that violate their duties, involve the abuse of power, or violate the obligations of honesty and loyalty. As township offices are the most basic units of government agencies, they have more frequent encounters with the general public. Hence, the public tends to be emotionally sensitive to any crimes of corruption in township offices. This study analyzed the criminal cases of corruption in Yunlin County’s township offices over the past five years (from 2008 to 2013). It examined the background of these cases of corruption in township offices, the job duties that may provoke corruption, the common types of corruption, as well as the contributing factors of corruption, and the types of its judicial decisions. This study recommended the government to start with a focus on incorrupt policies, including anti-waste and anti-corruption. An in-depth investigation on the crimes of corruption and a comprehensive implementation of judicial and administrative anti-corruption practices are expected to reconstruct the image of the public agencies. Hopefully, this can enhance the general public’s sense of trust and identification with public agencies, and motivate them to support the government’s incorrupt practices.
Keywords: corruption, civil servant, integrity
* Yu-Tien Huang, Assistant professor, Graduate Institute of Public Affairs Management, Transworld University, email: yutienh@gmail.com; Chen-Yu Wang, Specialist, Office of Government Ethics of Fire Bureau, Taichung City Government, email: p678133@yahoo.com.tw.