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ILLINOIS NAMED AMERICA’S MOST CORRUPT CITY, AGAIN

November 13, 2023 by Michael Palan

Corruption is a serious problem that undermines the trust and confidence of the
public in their government. Corruption can take many forms, such as bribery,
extortion, fraud, nepotism, cronyism, embezzlement, and abuse of power.
Corruption can also be legal or illegal, depending on whether it violates the
law or the ethical norms of the society.



Illinois is a state that has a long and notorious history of corruption, both at
the state and local levels. According to a study published by the University of
Illinois Chicago in 2020, Illinois ranked as the second most corrupt state in
the nation, behind Louisiana, based on the number of federal public corruption
convictions per capita from 1976 to 2018. Chicago, the largest city in Illinois
and the third largest in the US, was also named as the most corrupt city in the
country, with more than 1,700 convictions in the same period.

This article will explore the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to
the corruption problem in Illinois, with a focus on Chicago. It will also
examine some of the recent and ongoing corruption scandals that have rocked the
state and the city, and how they have affected the public perception and trust
in the government.




CAUSES OF CORRUPTION IN ILLINOIS

There are many factors that contribute to the high level of corruption in
Illinois, but some of the most common ones are:

Political culture: Illinois has a political culture that is characterized by
patronage, machine politics, and one-party dominance. Patronage is the practice
of rewarding loyal supporters with government jobs, contracts, or favors.
Machine politics is the system of organizing and controlling political parties
by a powerful leader or group, often through patronage and coercion.

One-party dominance is the situation where one political party has a majority of
seats in the legislature and executive offices, and faces little or no
opposition from other parties or independent candidates. These factors create a
culture of loyalty, obedience, and secrecy among the politicians and public
officials, and discourage accountability, transparency, and oversight.



They also create opportunities and incentives for corruption, as the politicians
and public officials can use their power and influence to benefit themselves,
their allies, and their donors, without fear of consequences or scrutiny.

Weak laws and enforcement: Illinois has weak laws and enforcement mechanisms to
prevent, detect, and punish corruption. For example, Illinois has no limits on
campaign contributions, allowing wealthy individuals and groups to donate large
sums of money to the candidates of their choice, and potentially influence their
policies and decisions.

Illinois also has no independent ethics commission, and relies on the inspector
general offices, which are appointed by the governor or the mayor, to
investigate and prosecute corruption cases. However, these offices have limited
jurisdiction, resources, and authority, and often face political interference or
resistance from the government agencies they oversee.



Moreover, Illinois has a low conviction rate for corruption cases, as the
prosecutors and judges may also be influenced by political or personal ties, or
lack the expertise or evidence to pursue the charges.

Lack of civic engagement and education: Illinois has a low level of civic
engagement and education among the citizens, which makes them less aware and
concerned about the corruption problem, and less likely to demand change or hold
their government accountable. According to a survey conducted by the Paul Simon
Public Policy Institute in 2019, only 25% of Illinoisans said they were very or
somewhat interested in state government and politics, and only 14% said they
were very or somewhat knowledgeable about them.

The survey also found that only 23% of Illinoisans said they trusted the state
government to do what is right always or most of the time, and only 18% said
they were satisfied with the way democracy works in Illinois. These low levels
of interest, knowledge, trust, and satisfaction indicate a lack of civic
engagement and education among the citizens, which makes them less informed and
empowered to participate in the political process, and more susceptible to
apathy, cynicism, and resignation.




CONSEQUENCES OF CORRUPTION IN ILLINOIS

Corruption in Illinois has many negative consequences for the state, the city,
and the citizens, such as:

Economic costs: Corruption in Illinois costs the state and the city billions of
dollars in lost revenues, wasted resources, and increased expenditures.
According to a study by the Illinois Policy Institute in 2015, corruption in
Illinois cost the state $9.3 billion in foregone economic activity and 79,000
jobs from 2000 to 2014.

Corruption also reduces the tax base, as businesses and individuals may relocate
to other states or cities with less corruption, or engage in tax evasion or
avoidance. Corruption also increases the spending on public services, as the
government may have to pay higher prices for goods and services, or incur
additional costs due to inefficiency, fraud, or mismanagement.



Corruption also diverts the public funds from the intended purposes, such as
education, health, infrastructure, or social welfare, to the private interests
of the corrupt officials or their cronies, depriving the citizens of the
benefits and opportunities they deserve.

Social costs: Corruption in Illinois erodes the social fabric and the quality of
life of the citizens. Corruption undermines the rule of law, the justice system,
and the human rights, as the corrupt officials may abuse their power, violate
the laws, or interfere with the legal processes, to protect themselves or their
allies, or to harm their enemies or rivals.

Corruption also breeds inequality, poverty, and discrimination, as the corrupt
officials may favor or discriminate against certain groups or individuals, based
on their political affiliation, ethnicity, religion, gender, or other factors,
and deny them the access to the public services or resources they need or are
entitled to.



Corruption also damages the public health, safety, and environment, as the
corrupt officials may ignore or relax the regulations or standards, or overlook
or cover up the violations or problems, that affect the health, safety, or
environment of the citizens, such as pollution, contamination, crime, or
violence.

Political costs: Corruption in Illinois weakens the democracy and the governance
of the state and the city. Corruption reduces the legitimacy, credibility, and
accountability of the government, as the citizens lose their trust and
confidence in the government, and question its ability and willingness to serve
the public interest.

Corruption also distorts the political process and the representation of the
citizens, as the corrupt officials may manipulate the elections, the
legislation, or the policies, to favor their own interests, or those of their
donors or supporters, and to undermine their opponents or critics. Corruption
also hampers the cooperation and collaboration among the government agencies,
the political parties, and the civil society, as the corrupt officials may
create or exploit the conflicts, divisions, or rivalries, to advance their
agendas or to avoid detection or prosecution.




POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO CORRUPTION IN ILLINOIS

There is no easy or quick solution to the corruption problem in Illinois, but
some of the possible steps that can be taken to reduce or prevent corruption
are:

Reforming the political culture: Illinois needs to reform its political culture,
and foster a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability among the
politicians and public officials. This can be done by promoting the values and
principles of ethical conduct, such as honesty, fairness, impartiality, and
responsibility, and by providing the education and training on the ethics laws
and rules, and the consequences of violating them.

This can also be done by encouraging the participation and engagement of the
citizens, the media, and the civil society, in the political process, and by
providing them the information and the channels to monitor, report, and
challenge the corruption cases or allegations.

Strengthening the laws and enforcement: Illinois needs to strengthen its laws
and enforcement mechanisms to prevent, detect, and punish corruption. This can
be done by imposing the limits and disclosure requirements on the campaign
contributions and expenditures, and by banning or regulating the lobbying
activities and the gifts or favors to the public officials.



This can also be done by establishing an independent ethics commission, with the
power and authority to investigate and prosecute the corruption cases, and by
providing the adequate resources and support to the inspector general offices,
the prosecutors, and the judges, to carry out their duties effectively and
efficiently.

Enhancing the civic engagement and education: Illinois needs to enhance the
civic engagement and education among the citizens, and make them more aware and
concerned about the corruption problem, and more likely to demand change or hold
their government accountable. This can be done by improving the quality and
accessibility of the public education, and by incorporating the civic education
and the anti-corruption education into the curriculum.



This can also be done by increasing the opportunities and incentives for the
citizens to participate and vote in the elections, and by providing them the
platforms and tools to communicate and interact with their government
representatives, and to express their opinions and feedback on the government
performance and policies.


CONCLUSION

Corruption is a serious problem that plagues Illinois, especially Chicago, and
has many negative consequences for the state, the city, and the citizens.
Corruption is caused by many factors, such as the political culture, the weak
laws and enforcement, and the lack of civic engagement and education.

Corruption can be reduced or prevented by taking some steps, such as reforming
the political culture, strengthening the laws and enforcement, and enhancing the
civic engagement and education. Corruption is not inevitable or irreversible,
and can be challenged and changed, if the government and the citizens work
together to create a more honest, transparent, and accountable government, and a
more informed, empowered, and active citizenry.



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