code of silence
Loyalty through secrecy
A code of silence is an unwritten agreement not to reveal information, especially about wrongdoing within a group.
The term often describes institutional cultures where members protect each other from outside scrutiny: The police department's code of silence made it nearly impossible to investigate misconduct.
Breaking such a code typically brings social punishment from the group.
- omertàCriminal vow of silence
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- secrecyPractice of hiding information
- complicityShared criminal involvement
- loyaltyFaithful commitment to another
conspiracy · cover-up · look the other way · closed ranks · thin blue line · discretion · obstruction · witness tampering · whistleblower · organized crime · honor among thieves · collusion · godfather · perjury · vendetta · betrayal · confidentiality · snitch
- secrecysecrecy, secret, secrets, confidential, classified
- social codessocial norms, social norm, unwritten rule, unspoken rule, unspoken rules
- Mafiamafia, Cosa Nostra, Sicilian Mafia, Five Families, Colombo
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- police misconductpolice brutality, excessive force, brutality, misconduct, abuse of power
- policeofficer, cop, officers, patrol, cops
code of silencetransparency
State of being see-through
full disclosure · open communication · whistleblowing · candor · openness
code of silencewhistleblower protection
Laws shielding those who report misconduct
mandatory reporting · turning state's evidence · oversight · bearing witness · public accountability
code of silencewhistleblowing
Exposing hidden wrongdoing internally
accountability · speaking up · turning state's evidence · testifying · snitching
silence, code, decode, codify, silenced, codes, silences, decoded, encoded