Public Sector Corruption

Integrity is a fundamental pre-condition for governments seeking to provide a trustworthy and effective framework for the economic and social life of their citizens. The cost of corruption to governments is increasingly well known and documented. It is now widely recognised that countering corruption and promoting public integrity are critical for sustained economic development. Corruption, however, is not a cause but a consequence: as much the result of systemic failure as individual dishonesty. Preventing corruption is as complex as the phenomenon of corruption itself and a combination of interrelated mechanisms, including sound ethics management systems, specific prevention techniques and effective law and law enforcement, are needed for success. It is therefore invaluable, in taking action against corruption, to have an understanding of the relevant legal, civil service and management systems employed by a range of countries to counter corruption. This book surveys the measures that 15 OECD countries are currently using to protect their domestic public institutions against corruption. It is a companion to Ethics in the Public Service: Current Issues and Practice, OECD 1996.