It involves the abuse of entrusted authority, bribery, embezzlement, fraud, nepotism, and other forms of illicit activities that undermine the integrity and effectiveness of local governance.
Forms of corruption pertaining to money like bribery, extortion, embezzlement, and graft are found in local government systems.
Socioeconomic characteristics and the size of the population of people that make up a municipality can be encouraging factors for local government officials to engage in corrupt practices.
Another major issue in small municipalities lies with accountability — some have inadequate or insufficient structures for policing and prosecution of corrupt local officials, culminating in a difficult situation for those affected.
Economic practices like dependence on raw material industries and drug trades are characteristic of poorer cities and areas with increased amounts of corruption.
Officials who get lower wages, which are not enough to provide for their necessities, will many times become corrupt and try something like embezzling money that may entrusted to them in the local treasury.
Low wages can cause economic insecurity and encourage politicians to take advantage of current opportunities as public figures of authority.
Without some kind of political awareness, citizens will not know which candidates to elect that are honest or dishonest or other ways to prevent corruption from taking place in their local governments.