“Measuring Illegal and Legal Corruption in American States: Some Results from the Corruption in America Survey.”
What are the mos
t and least corrupt states, taking all three government branches into account?
The top three in legal and illegal corruption are Arizona, California and Kentucky, according to a report done last year by Harvard University’s Center for Ethics.
Click here to read more about the 2014 report: Harvard University’s Center for Ethics
The 2014 study found, with respect to illegal corruption, “Arizona is perceived to be the most corrupt state, followed by a second group of states, which includes California and Kentucky, and third group that includes Alabama, Illinois, and New Jersey. Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, the Dakotas, and Vermont are perceived to be the least corrupt states, followed by a second group of states that includes Michigan and Oregon.”
Kentucky is not only perceived to be illegally corrupt but also legally corrupt, the study indicates.
With respect to legal corruption, “Kentucky is the most corrupt state followed by Illinois and Nevada while Massachusetts is the least corrupt state followed Michigan, Oregon, and Vermont. It is all bad news for Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as their aggregate scores are in the highest quartiles of both illegal and legal corruption. Not so bad news for the Dakotas, Idaho, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, Vermont, and Wyoming, which are perceived least corrupt both illegally and legally.”
Legal and Illegal Corruption Defined:
*The Harvard study defines illegal corruption as the private gains in the form of cash or gifts by a government official, in exchange for providing specific benefits to private individuals or groups.
*Illegal corruption is defined as the political gains in the form of campaign contributions or endorsements by a government official, in exchange for providing specific benefits to private individuals or groups, be it by explicit or implicit understanding.