Fighting Organized Crime Essay

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Fighting Organized Crime: Background, Issues, Tactics

Organized crime today takes a variety of forms. Some entities and collectives are domestic to the United States exclusively. Many conglomerations today of organized crime operate at the transnational level because that is the most lucrative for the criminals. Consider the following definition: “Transnational organized crime (TOC) groups are self-perpetuating associations of individuals who operate, wholly or in part, by illegal means and irrespective of geography. They constantly seek to obtain power, influence, and monetary gains” (fbi.gov). As the FBI explains, organized crime can operate within a wealth of structures, from small single cells, to inter-working cells spread out over the nation, to networks, clans and hierarchies that all might develop into other manifestations. These collectives are generally exceedingly private and work to safeguard their work through intimidation, violence, bribery, international exchanges, interrupting intricate business dynamics, and commercial structures that are able to undermine national laws and codes (fbi.gov, 2016). The primary objectives for all entities of organized crime is largely money, as with wealth comes power and influence. Generating profit becomes the goal exclusive to all else and there will be a host of methods, schemes and rackets in place, most of them illegal, in order to generate profit. “Crimes such as drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, firearms trafficking, illegal gambling, extortion, counterfeit goods, wildlife and cultural property smuggling, and cyber crime are keystones within TOC enterprises” (fbi.gov, 2016). These crimes do not exist in a vacuum. Such crimes impact legitimate business and economies that do follow the law and can have an indelible impact on the corruption of government leaders and others who work in an official capacity (fbi.gov, 2016). It’s not uncommon for these corrupt organizations to bribe or otherwise put government officials on the payroll, viewing it as a business expense to ensure that they can engage in their illicit activities indefinitely. Cells and networks of organized crime are vast and travel the globe. However, with the advent of the internet, it has become easier and easier to execute plans and methods from anywhere in the world. Thus, “…the extent of their presence within a particular area does not necessarily reflect the degree of the threat they pose” (fbi.gov, 2016). More and more groups of organized crime are engaging in techniques within the realm of cyber crimes in order to engage in a host of other unlawful acts, from things like Internet auction fraud, illegal gambling and other forms of classic criminal activity.

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Cells and networks of organized crime operate underneath the sense of safety of ordinary reality and commerce. Quietly and illicitly the massive profits from these industries is amassed, untaxed. Even though so many people aren’t aware of these conglomerates of organized crime, they impact so many aspects of health and security. “It jeopardizes our border security, endangers our health through human trafficking and counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and seeks to corrupt officials domestically and abroad” (fbi.gov). There needs to be more aggressive action taken in order to destroy these entities in order to protect national security, alliances and the future.

This paper will examine some of the main ways that governments around the world attempt to thwart organized crime. The first way is one of the most common methods designed to chip away at units of organized crime: prosecuting those involved with it.

Prosecuting Members

Nations around the world have taken a stand together to push legislation that makes the participation in the acts of a criminal entity or organization illegal and strictly prohibited. One of the most influential pieces of legislation in this regard was the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute in America, put into place in 1970. “RICO defines racketeering very broadly, including murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, drug dealing, and a list of federal offences, such as loansharking, counterfeiting, mail and wire fraud” (justice.gc.ca). RICO has helped to move forward in bringing to justice those involved with what is considered to be a pattern of behavior that falls into the category of racketeering (justice.gc.ca). Under RICO, citizens can also sue for damages to their companies or properties (justice.gc.ca). As Giuliani found in the 1980s, the power of RICO revolved around its efficiency, as it meant that government prosecutors could present to a jury the entire picture of how a criminal network, such as one of the mob families, engages in illicit activities. This can exponentially create a sense of clarity in regards to how these criminal families operate on behalf of the jury, empowering them to give harsher and longer sentences. “Rather than pursuing the leader or a small number of subordinates for a single crime or scheme, the Government is able to indict the entire….....

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