BERLIN, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Corruption is seen as worsening, but people say they're more willing to report incidents of corruption, Transparency International, based in Berlin, said.
The poll, released Thursday on International Anti-Corruption Day, indicated views on corruption trends were most negative in Europe and North America, where 73 percent and 67 percent of people said they thought corruption has increased during the last three years.
Despite the dim views, Transparency International said seven in 10 people said they would be willing to report an incident of corruption.
"The fallout of the financial crises continues to affect people's opinions of corruption, particularly in Europe and North America. Institutions everywhere must be resolute in their efforts to restore good governance and trust," said Huguette Labelle, chairwoman of Transparency International. "It is heartening that so many people are ready to take a stand against corruption. This willingness must be mobilized."
The 2010 Global Corruption Barometer surveyed more than 91,000 people in 86 countries and territories, focusing on petty bribery, perceptions of public institutions and views of whom people trust to combat corruption, the organization said.
Results indicate that during the past year one in four people paid a bribe, with police named as the most frequent recipient. Twenty-nine percent of people saying they had contact with the police reported paying a bribe.
Eight in 10 people said they thought political parties were either corrupt or extremely corrupt, followed by civil service and parliaments, the survey indicated.
Transparency International said about half the people surveyed said their government was ineffective in stopping corruption.
"The message from the 2010 Barometer is that corruption is insidious. It makes people lose faith," Labelle said. "The good news is that people are ready to act."
