Section 3: Corruption and Remedies against it

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Text 1 During a research recently carried out by TRANSCRIME on corruption in the 15 European Union countries, six main patterns of corruption and different patterns of criminal responses to corruption were outlined: § systematic corruption (Italy, France, Spain and Belgium); § emerging systematic corruption (Germany and Greece); § sporadic corruption (Ireland, Austria and Portugal); § casual corruption (the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Sweden); § English corruption (United Kingdom); § managing others' corruption (Luxembourg). With reference to legal responses the main criteria used for this analysis were: a) the definition of the crime of corruption; b) the distinction between passive and active corruption; c) the definition of passive and active subjects involved in the crime of corruption; and d) sanctions. The results show that there is less homogeneity with respect to the definition of the crime of corruption. The differences in definition are related to the fact that corruption takes on different forms in the various European countries, depending on each cultural and social context. It is important to study the cultural background of the various countries in order to discover the constant elements of corruption and thus to adopt the most effective preventive measures. For instance, when referring to «corruption prone environment» in Italy, we are talking about a phenomenon that is deeply rooted in the cultural tradition of Italian society, in the sense that corrupt activities are practised and accepted by normal citizens. The penal codes of the United Kingdom and Germany envisage various levels of corruption crimes (misdemeanours or felonies), according to the position held by the actor. Another distinction is related to the nature of the corruption act, in that it may be linked with, or contrary to the functional role of the actor. In the case of the passive receipt of a bribe by a public official in order to speed up a service for which he/she is competent, the penalty of a fine is envisaged. On the other hand, a public official who authorises the issuance of a licence although this is not under his/her competence, is committing an offence. In Austria (Article 304, paragraph 1), Denmark (Article 144), Finland (Article 40), Germany (paragraph 332), the Netherlands (Article 363) passive corruption involving abuse of the public function is punished with a higher penalty than in the case of corruption that does not involve the abuse of a public function.

§ Vocabulary notes

	remedy	['remIdI]	1) средство от болезни, лекарство; 2) средство, мера (против чего-либо); 3) средство судебной
			защиты, средство защиты права
	pattern	['p{t@n]	модель, система
	sporadic	[sp@'r{dIk]	единичный, случайный
	casual	['k{Zju@l]	1) случайный; 2) непреднамеренный;
			3) случайный, нерегулярный
	criterion (Lot.)	[kraI'tI@rI@n]	критерий
	pl. criteria	[kraI'tI@rI@]
	distinction		различие, отличие, разница
	homogeneity	[, hom@u³ e'nI: @tI]	однородность
	to be related		относиться, иметь отношение
	background		предпосылка, данные, объяснения, фон, истоки
	prone		склонный
	prone to anger		вспыльчивый
	He is prone to		Он склонен к быстрым действиям.
	prompt action.
environment	[In'vaI@r@nm@nt]	окружающая обстановка, окружающая среда
rooted		вкоренившийся, коренящийся
penal		уголовный
the penal code		уголовный кодекс
to envisage		предусматривать, рассматривать
misdemeanour	[, mIsdI'mI: n@]	судебно наказуемый проступок,
		преступление
felony		уголовное преступление
contrary to		противоположный
bribe		взятка

§ Words and Grammar

a Write down the nouns formed from the following verbs:

to research – research

to corrupt............................... to service..........................................

to respond.............................. to issue..............................................

to outline................................ to penalize........................................

to refer................................... to fine................................................

to define................................. to break.............................................

to link..................................... to notify.............................................

b Write down the nouns from which the following adjectives are formed:

criminal –.. crime................. .

systematic............................... normal...................................

cultural................................... functional..............................

effective................................... corrupt..................................

с Choose the antonyms from the box:

long ago, similar, old, ~~active,~~ extraordinary, sporadic, secondary

passive –....... active..........

systematic................................... emerging.........................................

recently...................................... normal............................................

different................................... main..............................................

d Match the English and Russian equivalents:

e Write down a short sentence with each of the following words:

criterion – criteria..........................................................................................................

phenomenon – phenomena analysis – analyses...........................................................

f Insert the correct prepositions and make sentences on the basis of the text with the following word combinations:

a research. on. corruption......................................................

responses... corruption..........................................................

reference... legal responses...................................................

subjects involved... the crime of corruption........................

with respect... the definition of the crime............................

the differences... definition..................................................

to relate... the fact.................................................................

to depend... the context.......................................................

to refer... corruption prone environment.............................

g Complete the list of words associated with corruption.

1 to carry out a research on corruption.........................................................

2 a pattern of corruption..............................................................................

h Encircle the Participles and translate the following into Russian:

1 Corruption takes on different forms in the various European countries, depending on each cultural and social context. ... Коррупция принимает различные формы в различных странах в зависимости от культурных и социальных условий .....................................................................................................................

2When referring to 'corruption prone environment' in Italy, we are talking about a phenomenon that is deeply rooted in the cultural tradition.......................................................................................................................

3 The Penal Code of the UK envisages various levels of crimes according to the position held by the actor...........................................................................................................................................................................

4 Passive corruption involving abuse of the public function is punished with a higher penalty.......................................................................................................................................................................

§ Suggested activities

h Complete the following sentences on the basis of the text:

1 The six main patterns of corruption in Europe are:...........................................................................

2 The main criteria used for the analysis were:.....................................................................................

i Write out the answers from the text:

1 What research on corruption was carried out?.......................................................................................

2 What did it result in?...............................................................................................................................

3 Why were there differences in the definition of corruption?..................................................................

j Explain the meaning of the following terms in English:

• passive corruption

• managing others' corruption

• emerging systematic corruption

Text 2

Italy has also adopted this line of action as is shown in Article 319 (Corruption for an Act that is Contrary to Official Duties) which is cited below: «The public official who omits or delays, or who has omitted or delayed an act of his/her office, or who has committed an act that is contrary to his/her official duty... is punishable with two to five years of imprisonment».

In accordance with Article 318, corruption in relation to official duty is punishable with between two months and three years of imprisonment. In several cases, the criminalisation of active corruption depends on the nature of the act carried out by the passive actor. The Netherlands and Denmark do not punish active corruption if this does not induce the public official to abuse his duties. On the other hand, Germany punishes this type of active corruption, although it envisages a lighter sanction (maximum two years of imprisonment) than that applied for corruption involving abuse of official duties (3 months to 5 years of imprisonment). In Portugal, the above-mentioned corruption was criminalised on 1 October 1995. The other states have not made any distinction in this respect. From an analysis of legislation in the various countries of the European Union, it is impossible to identify a distinction between active and passive corruption in all of them.

These two criminal acts represent the two faces of the same coin since corruption crimes involve more than one actor and presuppose at least one person offering or promising an advantage and another person accepting or receiving the advantage. However, in most cases it appears that the corrupter cannot be prosecuted for having participated in the transgression of the corrupted person, and vice versa. As far as the definition of the passive actor is concerned, numerous countries including Denmark, Sweden, Holland, the United Kingdom and Italy, have adopted a wide definition that covers public functionaries, judges, members of Parliament, political figures, members of the Armed Forces, functionaries of the Central Bank, and legal and economic consultants, in order to guarantee greater correctness in the public services.

Other countries like Finland and Portugal, have opted for a more limited extension of the above-mentioned concept, so as to cover only certain categories of public functionaries and elected offices. Austria, for example, does not extend the law related to corruption to members of an autonomous economic authority. Greece and Germany deal with corruption of judges and referees in a specific separate article. In fact, the most significant differences between the legislation of the various states relate to the definition of the passive actor. This represents one of the main obstacles in the international fight against corruption, and it is hoped that all states will decide on a single definition of the public official. There is no problem regarding the definition in the case of the active party. Since active corruption is not a crime belonging to a certain category, it can be perpetrated by anyone, whereas in the case of passive corruption, the actor can only be a very qualified person.

§ Vocabulary notes

to cite		1) ссылаться, цитировать;
		2) вызывать в суд (преимущественно церковный)
to omit	[@'mIt]	пренебрегать, упускать
to induce	[In'dju: s]	убеждать, побуждать, склонять, заставлять
to induce smb to do smth		заставить кого-либо сделать что-либо
to presuppose	[, prIs@'pouz]	предполагать
transgression	[tr{ns'greSn]	проступок, нарушение (закона и т.п.)
vice versa (Lat.)	[, vaIsI'v@: s@]	наоборот
functionary	['fö Î kSn@rI]	должностное лицо, чиновник
to opt		выбирать
referee	[, ref@'rI: ]	третейский судья, арбитр
obstacle	['obst@kl]	препятствие, помеха
to throw obstacles in smb's way		чинить препятствия кому-либо
to overcome obstacles		преодолевать препятствия
to perpetrate	['p@: pItreIt]	совершать (ошибку, преступление и т.п.); шутл. сотворить
to perpetrate a pun		сочинить каламбур
whereas	[wE@r'{z]	тогда как
qualified	['kwolIfaId]	1) компетентный; 2) подходящий,
		пригодный; 3) ограниченный

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