Bribetaking

Bribetaking is the act of knowingly accepting a bribe in exchange for favorable treatment or neglect of official duties. It usually involves a public official or person in a position of trust, such as a judge, regulatory official, or procurement officer, but contexts in the private sector can also involve bribe-taking. The term is commonly used in anti-corruption discourse to describe the receiving end of a bribery scheme.

Legal status and scope: In most jurisdictions bribetaking is criminalized as bribery or corruption. It may be charged as bribery, abuse of power, conflict of interest, or related offenses. Penalties vary, including imprisonment, fines, removal from office, and disqualification from public service. The act is distinguishable from offering a bribe, which is the solicitation or payment itself; bribetaking denotes the recipient's acceptance.

Mechanisms and consequences: Bribes can influence licensing, contract awards, regulatory enforcement, or public service delivery. The practice undermines fairness, distorts markets, reduces public trust, and increases costs for citizens and businesses. It can also entrench impunity and reduce accountability across institutions.

Prevention and international norms: Efforts to combat bribetaking include strengthening transparency, procurement controls, conflict-of-interest rules, internal and external audits, robust whistleblower protections, and independent judiciary enforcement. International instruments such as the UN Convention against Corruption and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention provide frameworks for cooperation and standards to deter bribetaking.