Working on USAID Anticorruption projects I have often found that anticorruption institutions need access to very simple materials that help explain what corruption is. Something odd happens when people enter government around the world and they seem to shift from the idea that anticorruption is about preventing things that cause the degradation of society to thinking that anticorruption is primarily about investigations, arrests, prosecutions and jail.
Investigation doesn’t prevent the cows from being stolen. Brian Pinkowski
People will talk about corruption prevention on international development projects, but it seems to be pushed aside in favor of the sexier efforts to prosecute and convict criminals. In other words, corruption prevention gets pushed aside in favor of basic law enforcement capacity building.
While the law enforcement skills are essential, they don’t really PREVENT much corruption.
This is also true within private corporations.
After having given the presentation over 200 times to public and private sectors audiences, I decided to create a few short videos to help anticorruption tools as they explain some of the more basic concepts in anticorruption. The first video is 6 minutes and discusses application of the dictionary definition of the words “Corrupt” and “Corruption.”
Follow-up videos discuss application of the terms to individuals, groups and societies.
The videos can help where you have access to internet, but the material in the videos is basic enough to be communicated with a stick in the dirt (as I have done on more than one occasion).
I have the transcript in English and Arabic, and am having the material developed in other languages with the help of my colleagues.
Results have been quite good with sophisticated audiences such as prosecutors, and with people with weak literacy skills. I welcome your use of the material.
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This is really good. I like getting down to the basics. Wish I could see the other videos.
Thanks, Carl. I am working on the remaining videos now and may produce a shorter version for each.
Really good to see a well planned, strait forward explanation- would be great to make the diagrams more visual / illustrative.
Thanks. Agreed that simple is the key. Am working on simplifying the remaining videos before posting them.
Great Video Brian. We need it in Spanish. Looking forward to the following ones…
Thanks. I think you’ll really be able to use the next video (in production at the moment).
In the meantime, I will also work on putting it in Spanish and Arabic.
Where are you working?
I am semi-retired in Quito, Ecuador. Only do short term work and speaking/seminars in Latin America. Your videos would be great for whenI have speaking engagements or seminars.
There is something powerful about your short and simple explanation of corruption. I think the fact that it states a simple point and doesn’t leave much for the imagination is the key to its poignancy.
http://happyriches.blogspot.com.au/
Thanks, I appreciate the comment.
Brian, this great. Outlines the key issues. Looking forward to the rest of the videos.
Dr. Cephas Lerewonu
Thanks. The second video is posted on YouTube. Here: “http://youtu.be/m6MXiip3nAc” I’ll post more videos there, and here. Subscribe to both to make sure you get the updated material.
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