The Research Institute of the Prosecutor General’s Office conducted an experiment to understand the spiritual values of people convicted of corruption, research institute employee Natalya Ratinova told Vedomosti.
Researchers interviewed former law enforcement officers who are currently in prison for bribery. Their answers were compared to a survey among officers without convictions. The research found that both groups value freedom, family and love above anything else. Interestingly, these values do not fit in any specific sociopolitical movement (for example, liberalism).
At the same time, the significance of material assets is extremely low for the bribe takers, which the experts found paradoxical. The criminals do not seem to care about entertainment, “experiencing beauty” and even public recognition.
Moreover, both convicted and non-convicted officers put little value on power and law. Natalya Ratinova believes that this finding is rather disturbing considering that their activity is directly related to law and order. The research also found that disposition for bribe-taking has absolutely nothing to do with personality and instead reflects the values of the officer’s employer.