Organized crime
refers to organizations that use violence, provide illegal services, and have immunity of operation
types of organized crime
political-social, mercenary/predatory, in-group-orientated
political-social
refers to crime by guerilla and terrorist groups and various militant social movements that use violence such as KKK, Molly Maguires, and Palestinian Liberation Organization
mercenary/predatory
refers to crimes committed by groups for direct personal profit, crimes that prey on unwilling victims, such as juvenile and adult criminal gangs who engage in larceny, burglary, and robbery (ex. the black hand)
In-group-Orientated
refers to crimes committed by groups, such as motorcycle gangs and some adolescent gangs, whose major goals are psychological gratification rather than financial profit
key features of syndicate crime(organized crime)
1) A continuing group or organization that participates in illicit activity in any society by the use of force, intimidation, or threats 2) The structuring of a group or organization whose purpose is to provide illicit services for which there is a strong
Street Gangs
bloods, crips, -they are not all violent and drug dealers although they start off as street gangs-different levels of authority
UN id of organized crime
drug trafficking and abuse, arms trafficking, money laundering, migrant smuggling and other human trafficking, intellectual property theft, and foreign official corruption
Yakuza
chinese term for gangster means-"good for nothings"-organized crime syndicates of roughly 90,000 members
Chinese Triad societies
- Chinese organizations "black societies" highly ritualistic use of numerology, symbol is equilateral triangle representing 3 basic Chinese concepts of heaven, earth, and human being-very long time ago-similar to Sicily mafia
Russian Mafiya
12-15 major "mafiya" groups exist each with a federation of hundreds of smaller groups. 2 biggest gangs=Moscow-based Solntsevo (organizatisiya in US) and St. Petersburg group Tambov-crimes include health care fraud, drug and alien smuggling, prostitution,
Ethnic Succession Theory
the belief that organized crime has been a ladder of mobility for a succession of ethnic groups
Transnational crime
refers to criminal activities that take place in more than one country Ex. money laundering, terrorist activities, art and cultural object theft, theft of intellectual property, arms trafficking, aircraft hijacking, sea piracy, land hijacking, insurance f
Money Laundering pli
placement-collect the first money and move it into the financial system,
layering-disguise the money trail by transferring the money into the bank account of phony companies creating false invoices and enterprises using offshore banks and wire transfers
i
Casinos
dirty money is often used to buy chips then cash out
IRS requirement
$10,000 or more be reported
Un types of crime
rigid hierarchy, Devolved hierarchy, Hierarchical conglomerate, Core criminal group, Organized Crime Network
rigid hierarchy
single boss, divisions reporting to the center, with a strong internal system of discipline
Devolved hierarchy
regional structures with own leadership hierarchy and autonomy
Hierarchical conglomerate
an association of groups with single governing body varying from an umbrella-type body to flexible oversight arrangements
Core criminal group
relatively loose group characterized by horizontal rather than vertical arrangements
Organized Crime Network
shifting alliances that do not regard themselves as an organized crime entity
main drug supply
Golden Triangle-northern border of Thailand, Burma, and Laos-heroin, Golden Crescent-Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey-related to the French Connection of opium then sent to US as heroin, Latin America-primarily cocaine and marijuana
Columbian Cartels
Medellin cartel-most powerful international drug trafficking organization in the world
Mexico's Drug War
Zetas big cartel-2008=over 6200 mexicans died in drug-related killings, 90% of weapons seized in drug war trace back to US, cartels make more than Mexican gov., control 90% of cocaine market it US
Iron Law of Opium Trade
Arnold Trebach's thesis that as soon as one source of heroin supply is shut off, another will emerge to meet demand
Cosa Nostra Theory (Cressey Model)
1) interpretations of the testimony of informant Joseph Valachi before the McClellan Commission in the sixties, in which the term "La Cosa Nostra" was first officially introduced 2) the organized crime section of the President's Crime Commission Report of
Origin of the Mafia
1)A nationwide alliance of at least 24 tightly knit "families" in the US 2) membership that is exclusively of Sicilian or Italian descent, and the organization is referred to as Cosa Nostra particularly by East Coast members 3) the names and criminal acti
Patron Theory (The Albini Model)
views organized crime as consisting of a series of patron-client relationships, the occupation of specific positions within a structure is less important-feudalism rather than the corporate bureaucracy
Strategic and Tactical Crimes
use violence and force to scare, blackmail
numbers games
lotteries where you guess numbers
Racketeering
the infiltration of unions to use their influence for personal profit Ex. no-strike insurance
Snakeheads
Asian gang who smuggle aliens into US for $30,000
Bank Secrecy Act
directed at controlling money laundering. Includes features requiring banks to report transactions over $10,000 or file a report if $10,000 or more leaves or enters the country, and citizens to report foreign bank accounts on tax returns
Before 1930
colonial pirates, organized crime seemed to be an aspect of capitalism (1920s) Frank Costello
The Luciano Period
charles "lucky" jailed from 1937-46
The Genovese Period
Vito-Kefauver Committee-congressional hearings in the 50s that examined labor racketerring by organized crime
The Gambino Period
Carl(mid 60s to 90s) controlled 4 of 5 NY mobs, Paul Castellano then Jon Gotti
The Commission Trials
series of prosecutions of organized crime figures by the federal government form 1983-1987(5000 indictments in 1985) only survivor Teflon don john gotti
IAS
Italian American syndicate
Drug Control Strategies
legalization, use of diplomacy, interdiction, targeting traffickers, coordination of rival departments and prevention
Hobbs Act
anti-racketeering law that can be interpreted to mean that any interference with interstate commerce to any degree whatsoever is in violation of the act
RICO Act
racketeer influence in corrupt organizations statue of the organized crime control act of 1970. It prohibits the use of the proceeds from criminal operations from being used to acquire legitimate operations
Organized Crime Control Act
the most powerful legislation ever passed to attack organized crime in 1970
Volstead Act
enforcement law of prohibition, often circumvented by bootleggers and gangsters
ngsp laizos 1972
as a result of the fascination with "nuts, sluts, and perverts", and their identities and subcultures, little attention has been paid to the unethical, illegal, and destructive actions of powerful individuals, groups, and institutions in our society. Bec
Broken Windows Theory-Wilson and Kelling(1982)
just as unrepaired broken windows can signal to people that nobody cares about a building and lead to more serious vandalism, untended disorderly behavior can also signal that nobody cares about the community and lead to more serious disorder and crime.
Prostitution
the act is not actually illegal itself, just getting money-it is often zoned off by society ex. red light districts
Sodomy
laws forbidding particular type of sexual activity
Homosexual Behavior
crimes associated with: entrapment, swindling, robbery, blackmail, and sometimes murder
Tearoom trade humphreys
a slang term for public restrooms that are used for homosexual liaisons
Sexual Offenses
More victimless crimes
ex. exhibitionism-flashing
voyeurism-peeping tom
High interaction molester
Incest and pedophilia
Drug Abuse in U.S.
by 1900 estimated 1 million Americans, mostly women, were opiate users- 90s cocaine, 70s lsd and pot, younger people are doing drugs
Harrison Act(1914)
required a doctor's prescription for narcotics and cocaine
Moral entrepreneurs Becker(1963)
Individuals who personally benefit from convincing the public to label the behavior of others as deviant or criminal
Prohibition
pushed to legislation by Women's Christian Temperance Union1919-1933"the noble experiment""the great illusion
Overcriminalization
extension of the criminal law into inappropriate areas of moral conduct
Floodgate Theory
the assumption that decriminalization of homosexuality will increase such behavior
Folk crime
crimes that everyone commits ex.-traffic violations
Mala Prohibita
wrong because it is prohibited"- usually less serious crimes or misdemeanors
Non-victimless sex offenses
incest and pedophilia
Drunkenness
#1 drug abuse problem in US
Homeless and mentally ill
neglectful deinstitutionalization of the homeless and mentally ill brings them into oftentimes unpleasant contact with ordinary people who then have a sense of public disrepair and it contributes to the overcrowding problem in prisons
Theory and Crime
the theory that best explains most public order crime is labeling or societal reaction theory. Much of the activity that is covered is deviant, but need not be handled by the criminal law. Sin, amorality, and bothersome behavior becomes criminal when def
Labeling Theory
crime is a label attached to wrongdoing and often the label becomes a stigma that increases criminality (also called societal reaction theory)
human trafficking
-over 2 million people trafficked worldwide
-low risk high reward crime
-TVPA passed 2000-prevention, protection, prosecution