Changing Beliefs, Changing Bribes in India

Changing Beliefs, Changing Bribes in India

Summary of the Randomized Evaluation

Country

India (Rajasthan)

Researchers

Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, John Firth, Daniel Keniston, Ben Olken, Jeffrey Weaver

Methods

Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of informing citizens about the true legal penalty for helmet violations on corruption and lawbreaking. The study included 17,369 motorcyclists across 112 towns in Rajasthan. Randomly selected motorcyclists were informed of the actual fine for not wearing a helmet through private information campaigns via phone calls and SMS messages. The comparison group received general safe driving messages without the fine details.

Context

In India, the legal penalty for a motorcycle driver without a helmet is a fine of Rs.100 (US$1.49) for the first offense. However, enforcement is inconsistent, with many citizens opting to pay bribes instead of formal tickets, partly due to a lack of awareness about the true legal fine. Preliminary surveys indicated that around 35% of motorcyclists stopped for helmet violations reported paying bribes to police, with an average payment of Rs.76.

Intervention Details

The intervention aimed to assess whether informing citizens about the actual legal penalty would reduce the incidence and amount of bribes paid. The study involved:

• Private information campaigns informing randomly selected motorcyclists about the exact fine for helmet violations.
• Calls and SMS messages sent to motorcyclists with either the fine information or general safe driving encouragement.

Results

• Knowledge of Fines: The information campaign effectively increased the awareness among motorcyclists of the true legal fine for not wearing a helmet.
• Bribe Payments: Researchers measured the impact on reported payments to police, including both official traffic tickets and bribes. The study aimed to determine if better-informed citizens would be less likely to pay bribes or negotiate lower bribe amounts.
• Negotiation with Police: The intervention also evaluated changes in the negotiation process between citizens and police officers regarding bribes and fines.

Policy Lessons

The study highlights the potential for information campaigns to reduce corruption by informing citizens about their legal rights and penalties. Understanding the interaction between citizens' knowledge and their behaviour when confronted with law enforcement can provide insights into effective strategies for combating graft. Pending legislative changes to the Motor Vehicles Act, further interventions and public information campaigns are planned to build on these findings.


By evaluating the effect of accurate information on corruption and lawbreaking, this study contributes to a broader understanding of how transparency and informed citizenry can impact social welfare and compliance with laws.

Study: https://www.povertyactionlab.org/print/pdf/node/1972

Disclaimer: This article is from a series of randomized evaluations worldwide database that we are gathering for educational purposes. If you need any additional information about a particular study, please contact the authors. All studies are credited to the original authors.