BRIBERY

the act of promising, giving, receiving, or agreeing to receive money or some other thing of value with the corrupt aim of influencing a public official in the discharge of his official duties. When money has been offered or promised in exchange for a corrupt act, the official involved need not actually accomplish that act for the offense of bribery to be complete. The crime is typically punishable as a felony. Though it originally involved interference with judges, bribery has since been expanded to include actions by all sorts of government officials from the local to the national level and thus covers all public employees. In addition, special provisions have been enacted in various jurisdictions to punish bribery of voters, jurors, witnesses, and other lay participants in official proceedings. Some codes also penalize bribery in designated classes of private or commercial transactionse.g., bribery of labour-union officials by employers. As to the nature of the money or favour given or received, the main issue is whether to limit bribery to cases in which money or property is the inducement or to extend the crime to cases in which any benefit or advantage is conferred or promised. Most statutes are of the latter form. Practical limitations on the interpretation of such broad language are inevitable, since few legislative or executive compromises could stand if the principle were applied fully. One limitation on any charge of bribery is that some element of corrupt purpose must be implied or proved. This means that in the absence of a complete statutory prohibition on the granting of favours to a public official, a gift is not a bribe unless there has been some intent to influence the official behaviour of the recipient. Thus, giving a gift or tip to a civil servant out of general friendship or gratitude and without intent to influence his official behaviour is not punishable as bribery, though it may be prohibited under other legislation limiting corrupt practices. See also extortion.