Lawrence Sherman's Theory Of The Slippery Slope

In law enforcement they are put in positions where the public is willing to provide them with gifts for their service within the community. Lawrence Sherman and his theory of the "Slippery Slope" were used to identify the flaws within the police department that can lead to corruption. For Sherman, the environment of temptation in which the recruit worked was the problem. The ‘slippery slope’ from small gifts and gratuities to major graft could only be prevented by police managers being intolerant of minor gratuities (p. 11). According to Sherman theory-allowing officers to accept any form of gratuities can open them up to corruption. For example, police officers working a neighborhood are being offered coffee at no charge and half price on their meal

Corruption runs rampant within the department especially went the supervisors don 't control or prevent the spread of corruption. Utilizing the term blue wall of protection is why other officer and department’s leaders are keeping the actions of corruption a secret. For example, when a officer notice another officer accepting or taking bribes for favors, he or she will not report their fellow officer to protect them from being reprimand or fired for their unethical act.

Rotten Apple Hypothesis:

Focuses the root of corruption on the character, or lack thereof, of the individual officer. This explanation proposes that corruption is the result of poor selection practices that fail to screen out applicants who are unsuitable for public service (Withrow & Dailey, p. 4).

The rotten apple hypothesis beliefs that people are born bad no matter what. These people who are rotten apples usually are exposed to bad behaviors as a child. Officers that are considered rotten apples are usually apart of murders, robberies and extortion. Their act creates a divide within the