Advances in Measuring Corruption and Agenda For the Future

Assessing corruption is crucial for identifying effective anti-corruption strategies and monitoring advancements toward reducing corrupt activities. Despite a common belief that researchers and policymakers have insufficient reliable quantitative corruption markers, we contend that there is indeed a plentiful supply of such metrics, even though certain gaps persist. Proven indicators encompass expert evaluations, nationwide bribery surveys, and transaction-based proxy indicators like those assessing public procurement risks. However, the array of measurement tools and the different types of corrupt behaviors being assessed present novel challenges. These challenges include selecting indicators aligned with specific research and policy goals and integrating various indicators into a cohesive evaluation, such as composite scores. This article examines a range of cutting-edge indicators and offers advice to researchers and policymakers on selecting indicators suitable for various applications.