crime type 7 - organised crime Flashcards

1
Q

examples of organised crime

A

mafia groups such as:
-La Cosa Nostra
-Japanese Yakuza

terrorist groups
- ISIS

OC in the news

urban gangs

drug trafficking organisations
- medellin cartel

theft and reselling

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2
Q

definition of OC by europol (mandatory criteria) 1-4

A
  1. collaboration of more than two people
  2. taking place over a prolonged period of time
  3. commission of serious criminal offences
  4. pursuit of profit and/or power
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3
Q

definition by OC by europol (optional criteria) 5-11

A
  1. having a specialised division of labour
  2. utilising a system of discipline and control
  3. using violence and other means of intimidation
  4. having a commercial or business like structure
  5. involved in money laundering
  6. operating internationally, across national borders
  7. exerting influence over politics, judicial bodies, media, the economy
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4
Q

what an example of true organised crime?

A

mafia groups

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5
Q

why are mafia groups an example of true organised crime?

A

-longevity
-large size
- formalised structure
- elaborate cultural apparatus
- multifunctionality
- provide governance service
- popular legitimacy

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6
Q

what 5 factors do criminal organisations hold that show they are organised crime?

A
  1. sophistication: planning is involved in the commission of crimes
  2. structure: division of labour
  3. stability: the structure maintain itself over time
  4. self identification: participants see themselves as being members of a defined organisation
  5. authority of reputation: instil fear and intimidate
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7
Q

what is crimes that are organised?

A

crimes that are committed by groups but that are not organised crime

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8
Q

why do crimes that are organised not count as organised crime?

A

they lack
- durability
- reputation
- continuity over time and over crimes
- lack of identification with the group

example = 4 teenagers selling cannabis

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9
Q

how are mafia groups different to other organsied crime?

A
  • a unique and special form of criminal organization
  • focus on political power and sovereign control over their territory
  • illegal activities
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10
Q

examples of mafia groups

A
  • sicilian mafia
  • la cosa nostra
  • japanese yakuza
  • calabrian ndrangheta
  • chinese triads
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11
Q

activities performed in organised crime

A
  • drug trafficking
  • smuggling in tobacco products
  • trafficking in firearms
  • dealing in endangered species
  • illegal logging
  • trafficking in hazardous waste
  • trafficking in cultural artefacts
  • financial crimes, cyber crimes, internet scams
  • gambling
  • loan sharking
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12
Q

what is not organised crime?

A

terrorism

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13
Q

define uk terrorism act

A

the use or threat of action designed to influence the government or an international government organisation, or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause

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14
Q

define USA patriot act

A

violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/ or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, racial or environmental nature

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15
Q

distinctions between terrorism and organised crime

A

-organised crime always seek to obtain a financial or other material benefit
- power and control secondary motives
-objective is profit but can contain violence and coercion

whereas
- terrorism involves crimes committed with objective of intimidating a population or compelling a government or international organisation with a view to achieving political or social objectives

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16
Q

alien conspiracy theory

A
  • not developed by academics but policy makers
  • 1952 kefauver committee and joe valachi testimony
  • OC in the US under control of an alien conspiracy ‘the mafia’
  • Italian immigrants imported the problem of OC into US society
  • OC = invisible hand threatening US democracy
  • outsider problem vs insider problem
17
Q

bureaucracy model

A
  • cressey 1969
  • shelling 1976
  • OC structured hierarchically like legitimate orgs
  • OC increase in size and complexity to gain territory from rivals and achieve monopoly control over sale of illict drugs
  • focus on LCN
  • however most criminal enterprises will be small and short lived - illicit enterprise theory
18
Q

illegal enterprise theory

A
  • critical of the alien conspiracy: directs attention away from the real sources of OC
  • illegal activities similar to legal activities
  • OC groups = provide services and products that have been criminalised
  • criminalisation does not eradicate demand
  • OC = rational actor that tries to maximise profits and reduce risks
  • OC = ‘economic activity that happens to be illegal’
19
Q

Social embeddedness theory

A
  • OC interacts with its social environment: need to understand social ties to explain it
    -social ties important in hostile environments
    -distrust mitigated by informal networks: family, friends, acquaintances very important
  • need access to trinational contracts
  • social opportunity structure
20
Q

what are some misleading notions of oc?

A
  • large scale collectivity primarily engaged in illegal activities with a well-defined collective identity and subdivision of work among its members
    -strong link between terrorism and oc
  • oc behind human smuggling
21
Q

what is the true face of oc?

A
  1. the supply of illegal commodities mainly takes place in a disorganised way
  2. some lasting large scale criminal organisations do exist e.g. the ital cosa notra, chinese triads, japaanese yakuza
    - however they are neither exclusively invovled in illegal market activites nor is their development and internal configuaration the result of. illegal market dynamics
22
Q

why does organied crime operates without the state

A
  • cannot resort to institutions to enforce contracts
  • no external capital markets
23
Q

why does organised crime operate against the state

A
  • constant threat of being arrested or having assets intercepted
  • small groups in order to reduce entrepreneus vulnerability
    -reduced geographical scope
  • no marketing
24
Q

why are mafias different to oc?

A
  • mafias are a particular form of organised crime
  • long lasting phenomenon
  • developed before illict markets
  • kinship ties
  • plurality of ends: illict enterprise, control of terriroty
  • mafia consortia hardly ever operate as a single unit
25
Q

why is there no oc behind the smuggling in human beings?

A
  • violence isnt useful
  • language and reputation
  • mafias are local
26
Q

are oc groups organised or disorganised?

A

disorganised

27
Q

are oc criminal groups big or small

A

most are small in size and ephermal (opportunity takers)