What Corrupt States Spend Their Money On

A study finds that more corrupt states spend more money on construction, highways and police protections and less on health, education and other public services.

Former Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Patrick Cannon’s guilty plea this month to one count of honest services wire fraud wasn’t just a blow to Charlotte’s clean reputation – it’s a mark against North Carolina’s status as one of the nation’s least corrupt states.

Cannon, who was arrested and resigned from his post on March 26, repeatedly sought and accepted bribes in exchange for his backing on transportation, planning and zoning projects while in office on city council and later as mayor, according to prosecutors. His methods aren’t original. Economic development projects are ripe for corruption, the study published this spring in the Public Administration Review, found.

Using data from the Department of Justice that encompassed more than 25,000 public corruption-related convictions nationwide between 1976 and 2008 of elected officials, judges and local employees, the study concluded that higher instances of corruption correlate with more spending in certain areas. Among the most corrupt states were Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Illinois, South Dakota and Alaska.

More