Code of silence

For other uses, see Code of silence (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Conspiracy of silence (expression).

A code of silence is a condition in effect when a person opts to withhold what is believed to be vital or important information voluntarily or involuntarily.

The code of silence is usually followed because of threat of force or danger to oneself, or being branded as a traitor or an outcast within the unit or organization, as the experience of police whistleblower Frank Serpico illustrates. Police are known to have a well-developed blue wall of silence.[1][2][3]

A more well-known example of the code of silence is the omertà, the Sicilian Mafia code of silence.

See also

References

  • Maxwell, Bill (25 July 2010). "Code of silence corrodes morality, puts blacks at risk". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  • "Judgment day for Chicago's police code of silence". Chicago Tribune. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  1. ^ Chin, Gabriel; Wells, Jack (14 January 1998). "The 'Blue Wall of Silence' as Evidence of Bias and Motive to Lie: A New Approach to Police Perjury". University of Pittsburgh Law Review. 59 (3): 233–299. SSRN 1810012 – via Elsevier.
  2. ^ Mullen, Ann (8 November 2000). "Breaking the blue code". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on 24 May 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  3. ^ Thurman, Quint; Giacomazzi, Andrew (2010). Controversies in Policing. Elsevier. p. 62. ISBN 9781437755183.
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