crime type 7 - organised crime Flashcards
examples of organised crime
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
definition of OC by europol (mandatory criteria) 1-4
- collaboration of more than two people
- taking place over a prolonged period of time
- commission of serious criminal offences
- pursuit of profit and/or power
definition by OC by europol (optional criteria) 5-11
- having a specialised division of labour
- utilising a system of discipline and control
- using violence and other means of intimidation
- having a commercial or business like structure
- involved in money laundering
- operating internationally, across national borders
- exerting influence over politics, judicial bodies, media, the economy
what an example of true organised crime?
mafia groups
why are mafia groups an example of true organised crime?
-longevity
-large size
- formalised structure
- elaborate cultural apparatus
- multifunctionality
- provide governance service
- popular legitimacy
what 5 factors do criminal organisations hold that show they are organised crime?
- sophistication: planning is involved in the commission of crimes
- structure: division of labour
- stability: the structure maintain itself over time
- self identification: participants see themselves as being members of a defined organisation
- authority of reputation: instil fear and intimidate
what is crimes that are organised?
crimes that are committed by groups but that are not organised crime
why do crimes that are organised not count as organised crime?
they lack
- durability
- reputation
- continuity over time and over crimes
- lack of identification with the group
example = 4 teenagers selling cannabis
how are mafia groups different to other organsied crime?
- a unique and special form of criminal organization
- focus on political power and sovereign control over their territory
- illegal activities
examples of mafia groups
- sicilian mafia
- la cosa nostra
- japanese yakuza
- calabrian ndrangheta
- chinese triads
activities performed in organised crime
- 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
what is not organised crime?
terrorism
define uk terrorism act
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
define USA patriot act
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
distinctions between terrorism and organised crime
-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
alien conspiracy theory
- 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
bureaucracy model
- 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
illegal enterprise theory
- 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’
Social embeddedness theory
- 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
what are some misleading notions of oc?
- 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
what is the true face of oc?
- the supply of illegal commodities mainly takes place in a disorganised way
- 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
why does organied crime operates without the state
- cannot resort to institutions to enforce contracts
- no external capital markets
why does organised crime operate against the state
- constant threat of being arrested or having assets intercepted
- small groups in order to reduce entrepreneus vulnerability
-reduced geographical scope - no marketing
why are mafias different to oc?
- 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
why is there no oc behind the smuggling in human beings?
- violence isnt useful
- language and reputation
- mafias are local
are oc groups organised or disorganised?
disorganised
are oc criminal groups big or small
most are small in size and ephermal (opportunity takers)
