When corruption hits the judiciary: A global perspective on access to justice and corruption

This study asks whether a country's level of corruption relates to perceptions of access to justice. In terms of the supply side of access to justice, a corrupt judicial system will imply that the less well-off cannot afford to secure their rights. However, does corruption widen a justice gap? Studies show that corruption relates to democracy, wealth, and equality, but the link between corruption and the judiciary is less studied. This study explores the general global picture statistically with the use of data from 113 countries. Using multiple regression, it corroborates established findings on inequality and equal access to justice, but critically contributes to this field by finding that corruption has an independent and strong relation to access to justice. This finding suggests that both anti-corruption and equality policies may improve access to justice.