2. Photo by: Konomiho/flickr. Good practices for assessing corruption

3. 3 indices, 3 stories CPIGlobal Integrity Control of Corruption Latvia Moldova Montenegro

4. Measuring corruption is not easy Multiple forms and understandings of what is corruption Corruption is hidden Politically sensitive, implying the need for reform Resource constraints and capacity deficits

5. Corruption indicators -Number of reported cases of bribery within the police -Police ranked as second most corrupt institution in public national perception surveys - Proportion of bribe payments to income among individuals in low-income neighbourhoods - Existence of accessible and safe reporting mechanisms - Proportion of sanctions to registered complaints Ways to measure corruption

6. Corruption indicators The incidence of corrupt transactions The impact of corruption The existence and effectiveness of AC mechanisms Ways to measure corruption

7. Country-level corruption and Anti-corruption assessment tools Corruption Diagnostic Assessments Institutions Processes Sectors Local level Compliance monitoring PerceptionExperience/ victimisation Public opinion Experts Public sector General population / vulnerable groups Public sector Private sector Mapped by Transparency International Transparency/Accountability/Integrit y

8. Requests for new connections Authorization of new connections Hiring touts/ middlemen to fill in forms Bribes to get filled forms deposited Payment to expedite new connections Bribes to secure a new connection Bribes to speed up an application Bribes to ensure forms are accepted Service delivery Offered extra payment to resolve problem Asked for payment to resolve problem Bribes to stop reporting illegal connections Payments to expedite repair work Payments to make illegal connections Unofficial private repairs Choice of contractors – personal or political gain Meter arrangement Install meters/replacement of meters Meter reading Enter meter reading into billing system Billing Payment Outputs billing/estimate billing for unmetered accounts Computerized billing Account summaries prepared and billing prepared for distribution …. Extort payment to reduce meter reading Bribes to reduce meter reading Payment to overlook an illegal connection False meter readings Payment to reduce bill WEDC, Loughborough University

9. Example Hot spot: Creating an impression of complexity of the procedure for obtaining a construction permit, to allow possibility of extorting a bribe. AC mechanism: All interested parties must be clearly and precisely informed of the course and duration of the procedure for obtaining a permit and the documents required. Indicator: Existence of a system for informing parties through written notices posted up or obtainable at the window from a clerk.

10. Good practices for measuring corruption

11. Investigative and preventive collaboration Select research projects strategically Break down corruption into specific practices Engage with state and non-state stakeholders Monitor reforms in practice, as well as in law

12. - Who did what, when and where - Why it happens - How it happens - The best ways to intervene - If interventions are working - If not, why not Information for combating corruption Diagnosis & strategies for combating Monitoring & evaluation Investigation and prosecution (deterrence)

13. + deterrent  not all forms of corrupt conduct are reported or investigated  investigations focus on the conduct of individuals, and ask different questions (who, where, when) from those relevant to preventing corruption (how, why)  not a broad enough starting point  catalyst for organisational reform  investigations and research can support each other (Gorta 2008) Don’t depend on investigations to prevent corruption

14. - interviews, focus groups, surveys - with citizens, about bribery-demand encounters and recommended interventions - with public officials, about their perceptions of corruption within a ministry -with private firms, about the reasons for and impact of private payments to government officials - with offenders (privately) about how and why they engaged in corruption and what they recommend to prevent it Information sources

15. - Observation - Are paid-for services being delivered? -Can public information be readily accessed? - Legal frameworks - Public administration data - Reported cases of corruption - organizational mandates, powers and procedures - Literature reviews and experience sharing - What can be learned from others’ experiences? Information sources

16. Investigative and preventive research collaboration Select research projects strategically Break down corruption into specific practices Engage with state and non-state stakeholders Monitor reforms in practice, as well as in law

17. Research involving the collection and analysis of new data is a time consuming process that is unlikely to be cheap or fast It should serve a clear policy impact, for the cost it will incur Needs clear objectives (e.g. to understand the nature of corruption in a specific sector, in order to derive appropriate interventions and performance indicators) Needs to be guided by the right questions Needs to be part of wider capacity development and reform or advocacy Select research strategically

18. Investigative and preventive research collaboration Select research projects strategically Break down corruption into specific practices Engage with state and non-state stakeholders Monitor reforms in practice, as well as in law

19. Break down the concept of corruption ‘Corruption’ encompasses many different forms Speaking as if it were a single issue does not help to prevent the phenomenon Corrupt behaviours have different motivations and may require different prevention strategies Methods and techniques need to be adapted to the type of corruption being investigated

20. Investigative and preventive research collaboration Select projects strategically Break down corruption into specific practices Engage with state and non-state stakeholders Monitor reforms in practice, as well as on paper

21. Engage stakeholders in the research design (e.g. assessment framework, indicator selection) in risk mapping (public sector employees and service users) on recommendations to improve corruption and governance bottlenecks in monitoring reforms by periodically taking the public “pulse” in national and local media in communication strategies

22.  concerns about perception data - bias, lag effect  perception and opinion data matter agents base actions on perceptions can indicate low perceptions of state legitimacy high perceptions can fuel corrupt practices the gap between perception and reality is an indicator of needed action This means using objective and subjective data

23. Investigative and preventive research collaboration Select projects strategically Break down corruption into specific practices Engage with state and non-state stakeholders Monitor reforms in practice, as well as on paper

24. Use indicators that are actionable but also action-worthy Combine input and output/outcome based indicators to show discrepancies between change in law and change in practice Is there a discrepancy between change on paper and in practice? Why?  Input indicator: In law, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) is protected from political interference.  Outcome indicator: In practice, the anti-corruption agency (or agencies) is protected from political interference Monitor progress periodically with indicators

26. What is the value of monitoring the input and outcome sides of reform?

27. Discrepancies in law and practice are revealing Photo by S.P. Schuman/ State University New York Are laws and organisational reforms translating into impact on the ground? If not, why not? Inappropriate reforms? Economically perverse incentives? Vested political interests? Lack of capacity (e.g. human resources, information retrieval systems)? High tolerance of corrupt conduct by the public? Different understandings of what is corrupt conduct?

28. Capacity implications? Photo by Adam Robers/ UNCDF

29. Capacity to… consult with a range of stakeholders from the outset define policy objectives design a research plan carry out data collection analyze data to derive recommendations to follow up with ongoing monitoring of reforms to promote use of information by policy-makers and society

30. Potential obstacles social science research is undervalued/supported lack of technical expertise combined with policy understanding (design, analysis & recommendations) lack of adequate manpower for implementation inefficient or absent data management systems compromised validity and credibility of results due to lack of independence or technical capacity

31. Bridging the gap Leadership that values social science research Coordinating with public sector agencies, line ministries (independence?), specialized integrity commissions Involving civil society, research institutes (some limits in terms of accessing ) Minimum of in-house technical capacities for research design and analysis that is also cleared to access information obtained under secrecy provisions