Anthropological approach to corrupt  criminal behavior

Maksim Bavsun; Elena Stebeneva

VAK Russia 5.1.4 UDC 343.97

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ANTHROPOLOGICAL APPROACH TO CORRUPT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR Anthropological approach to corrupt criminal behavior

АА Аа

Published in Russian Journal of Deviant Behavior · Volume 6, Issue 2 · Pages 329–341 · Rubric: Criminological research on deviant behavior

Received: 18.05.2026 Accepted: 30.06.2026 Published: 30.07.2026

Authors

Maksim Bavsun

ORCID

Elena Stebeneva

ORCID

Maksim Bavsun

Academic degree: doctor of jurisprudence sciences

Science rang: professor

Saint Petersburg University of the MIA of Russia Russian Federation

ORCID

Elena Stebeneva

Academic degree: doctor of jurisprudence sciences

Science rang: docent

Saint-Petersburg University of the Ministry of internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Academic Secretary · Academic Council · Russian Federation · Saint-Petersburg

ORCID

ABSTRACT

Human nature (its essence) has remained virtually unchanged throughout history. Property, accumulation, greed, and bribery have consistently been traditional desires and vices that the state has always sought to combat. This struggle has the status of an eternal one (with varying degrees of success), reflected in specific indicators of those types of crimes characteristic of it. Bribery, corruption, fraud, abuse of power, embezzlement, and theft remain socially dangerous acts that have always existed. At the same time, complete elimination of their manifestations remains an unattainable goal for any authority in any historical period. They exist at the genetic level, including the ability to be transmitted precisely in this way. Meanwhile, despite the immutability of human desires, the transformation of social relations, along with radical changes in modern technologies (medicine, genetics, technology, economics, etc.), has led to well-founded speculation about an already accomplished intrusion into the traditionally forbidden sphere - namely, the anthropological content of human beings. Indeed, it is precisely on this premise that all reasoning about the so‑called posthuman is constructed – a being whose boundaries and capacities remain unexplored not only in law, but also in contemporary philosophy, psychology, and medicine. The study of acquisitive offences in this context appears highly promising today and is capable, if not of providing answers, then at least of outlining the range of issues typical for this stage of the development of our society. Objective: To determine the essence of the anthropology of corrupt criminal behavior through an analysis of the specific criminological mechanism of committing corruption-related acts, particularly in light of the transformation of modern society. Methodology, Methods, and Techniques: The study employed general scientific dialectical and epistemological methods, as well as methods of analysis and comparison. Private scientific methods – comparative legal, sociological (questionnaires and surveys), and psychological – constituted the empirical basis of the research. Results: A criminological analysis of the specifics of individual corrupt criminal behavior of the subject was carried out, which served as the basis for determining the anthropological essence of corrupt acts in modern society. Scientific novelty lies in the conclusions showing that both corruption crime and the personalities of offenders are currently undergoing transformation. The anthropological prerequisites for this transformation are discussed alongside current knowledge in philosophy, neurocriminology, medicine, and other disciplines. The criminological analysis of corrupt criminal behavior from an anthropological perspective enriches our understanding of corruption as a modern societal phenomenon and contributes to countering corruption-related crimes, especially today. Practical significance: The findings and conclusions of the research aim to fill the gaps in criminological knowledge on corrupt criminal behaviour from an anthropological perspective, enhancing individual-level prevention of corruption-related crimes and the overall prevention of corruption.

KEYWORDS

corruption, corrupt criminal behavior, anthropology of corruption, anthropological approach, personality of the corrupt offender, motivation of corrupt behavior, bribery, victimological ambivalence, acquisitive crime, consumer society, criminological prevention, crimes committed by public officials

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