Poster #84 - More than a Checklist? A Vignette Study to Evaluate Asset and Interest Disclosure Systems

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

Over the decades, anti-corruption efforts have translated into a multitude of policies, reflecting the multifaceted nature of corruption and its heterogeneous manifestations. Asset and interest disclosure (AID) systems are acknowledged among the most relevant preventive tools. By establishing specific declaration requirements for public officials, they support the detection of irregularities in wealth, the management of conflicts of interest and the identification of corruption risks. Despite their widespread integration into national anti-corruption strategies, their assumed effectiveness remains largely unexplored and unproven. This is further compounded by the lack of a comprehensive criminological theoretical framework guiding their evaluation. The research aims at addressing this dearth by conducting an experimental vignette study. Drawing on an extensive mapping of their implementation in EU Member and Candidate States, AID systems’ key components will be combined and the different configurations presented as vignette scenarios, to detect their effects on perceptions in relation to situational crime prevention techniques. The study will draw on the theoretical framework of SCP to identify the most promising features for corruption prevention. The study will contribute to existing research by suggesting a novel theoretical framework and methodology for the evaluation of anti-corruption measures.

Author

• Beatrice Rigon, University of Trento / University of Verona