Determinants of Confidence in Judiciary Institutions Amidst Corruption: Evidence From Bangladesh

Abstract

Several decades of political turmoil have produced a corrupt and heavily politicized bureaucracy and judicial system in Bangladesh. Though there are several examples and articles which suggest specific changes, what has been left unknown is which factors most impact a citizen’s opinion of the many formal and informal institutions of justice. Using a World Bank survey specifically designed to collect opinion on the justice system, we test several hypotheses on the determinants of institutional confidence for ten institutions. We find that positive views on the previous administration’s performance increase the likelihood of higher confidence levels, and that considering crime to be the responsibility of that institution does not detract from its assessment. Further, women are less approving than men of the police and higher government, while the poor do not have statistically strong preferences once other traits are controlled for. In addition to offering guidance on public opinion regarding the justice system, this article also gives insight into the additional information gleaned from properly addressing a violation of the parallel odds assumption.

Keywords: Bangladesh, criminal justice system, institutional trust

JEL Classification: D73, K40, O53