Publication:
Writing an Effective Anticorruption Law

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dc.contributor.authorMessick, Richard E.
dc.contributor.authorKleinfeld, Rachel
dc.date.accessioned2012-08-13T14:51:43Z
dc.date.available2012-08-13T14:51:43Z
dc.date.issued2001-10
dc.description.abstractThe note looks at effective anticorruption legal instruments. However, law enforcement measures are not the first or necessarily the preferred method of defense. An informed citizenry, a government imbued with a service ethic, and other measures can be more effective in combating corruption. But tailoring the law to improve enforcement capacity generally encompasses a variety of statutes that prohibit bribery, nepotism, conflicts of interest, and favoritism in the award of contract or the provision of government benefits. And writing such laws containing "bright-line rules" in contrast to those containing standards open to interpretation by enforcement agencies may make it easier to monitor compliance and enforcement, but also rob the law of flexibility. Such laws often must be simplified to the point of arbitrariness-making them harder to accept than broadly-worded standards, which often conform to intuitive social understandings. The cost of bright-line rules are often more than offset by their deterrence value and their value in facilitating monitoring in countries with weak enforcement agencies. However, no statute can avoid some open-textured provisions. When a section in an anticorruption law must leave something open to question, one way to reduce enforcers' discretion is to establish a procedure for obtaining advance rulings. Finally, the author recommends laws that help bring corruption to light, such as a freedom of information law.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/10/2011704/writing-effective-anticorruption-law
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/11362
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/11362
dc.languageEnglish
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPREM Notes; No. 58
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectCORRUPTION
dc.subjectLEGAL FRAMEWORK
dc.subjectLAW ENFORCEMENT
dc.subjectLEGAL INSTRUMENTS
dc.subjectCORRUPT PRACTICES
dc.subjectBRIBERY
dc.subjectCIVIL SOCIETY
dc.subjectETHICS
dc.subjectENFORCEMENT POWERS
dc.subjectCAPACITY CONSTRAINTS
dc.subjectCONFLICT OF INTERESTS
dc.subjectCONTRACT ENFORCEMENT
dc.subjectPUBLIC DISCLOSURE
dc.subjectLEGAL REFORM
dc.subjectNEPOTISM
dc.subjectCORRUPT PRACTICES
dc.subjectSYSTEMIC REFORM
dc.subjectADVISORY ROLES
dc.subjectFREEDOM OF INFORMATION
dc.subjectACCESS TO INFORMATION
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIONS
dc.subjectANTICORRUPTION
dc.subjectANTICORRUPTION LAWS
dc.subjectANTICORRUPTION LEGISLATION
dc.subjectANTICORRUPTION WORK
dc.subjectAUTHORITY
dc.subjectAWARD OF CONTRACTS
dc.subjectBRIBERY
dc.subjectBRIBES
dc.subjectCITIZENS
dc.subjectCIVIL SERVANTS
dc.subjectCIVIL SOCIETY
dc.subjectCONFLICTS OF INTEREST
dc.subjectCORRUPT ACTS
dc.subjectCORRUPT OFFICIALS
dc.subjectCRIME
dc.subjectDEMOCRACY
dc.subjectDISCRETION
dc.subjectETHICS
dc.subjectFREEDOM OF INFORMATION
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES
dc.subjectJUSTICE
dc.subjectLAWYER
dc.subjectLEGAL ASPECTS
dc.subjectLEGAL FRAMEWORK
dc.subjectLEGAL INSTITUTIONS
dc.subjectLEGAL REFORM
dc.subjectLEGAL REFORMS
dc.subjectMEDIA
dc.subjectNATIONAL INTEGRITY
dc.subjectNATIONAL LEGISLATION
dc.subjectNATIONS
dc.subjectNEPOTISM
dc.subjectPRESIDENCY
dc.subjectPROSECUTION
dc.subjectPUBLIC INTEREST
dc.subjectPUBLIC LAWS
dc.subjectPUBLIC OPINION
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR
dc.subjectPUBLIC SERVANTS
dc.subjectPUBLIC SERVICES
dc.subjectPUNISHMENT
dc.subjectREPRESENTATIVES
dc.subjectRULINGS
dc.subjectSECRECY
dc.subjectTRANSPARENCY
dc.titleWriting an Effective Anticorruption Lawen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-29T10:32:51.200715Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Brief
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2001/10/2011704/writing-effective-anticorruption-law
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.guid456631468320042543
okr.guid693031468167047852
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum090224b082f538d1_2_0
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum2011704
okr.identifier.report24844
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2002/10/04/000094946_02092504034276/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdfen
okr.sectorPublic Administration, Law, and Justice :: Law and justice
okr.topicLaw and Development::Legal Products
okr.topicGovernance::National Governance
okr.topicGovernance::Parliamentary Government
okr.topicPublic Sector Corruption and Anticorruption Measures
okr.topicPublic Sector Development
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
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