Theories of Organized Crime

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Organized Crime is a complicated animal. It is defined as “transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals, who intend to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit.” (FBI, 2010). Organized crime is unique in its requirement of an organizational element. This organizational structure helps differentiate the definition of organized crime from that of simply a group of people involved in criminal activity. (FBI, 2010). According to Kristin Finklea, an organized crime analyst, in a 2010 report to congress, certain organizational elements are necessary for the organizational aspect as required for organizational crime.
These elements include “structure, restricted membership, continuity, violence or the threat of violence, illegal enterprises, legitimate business penetration, corruption, and lack of ideology.” (2010). These elements help differentiate “organized crime” from simple group criminal activity. Finklea notes that the primary goal of organized crime groups is to make money. She points out that these “organized crime groups” are profit-driven rather than ideology-driven as many other group criminal acts tend to be, such as the criminal acts committed by terrorist groups, or religious ideologues. (2010).
Currently, there is no legal definition of organized crime in the United States, allowing prosecutions and enforcement of laws designed to prevent “organized crime” to be hindered by lack of specific definition. Throughout the years however, Organized Crime in the United States has been governed by The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 which defined organized crime as “the unlawful activities of the members of a highly organized, disciplined ...

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...g the laws to their advantage. Until this trend is reversed, organized crime will be a constant problem facing the public integrity.

References
Finklea, K. (2010, October 22). Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress. CRS Report for Congress. Retrieved January 12, 2013, from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40525.pdf
Hales, T. (n.d.). Organized Crime - How it Was Changed by Prohibition. Organized Crime - How it Was Changed by Prohibition. Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://www.umich.edu/~eng217/student_projects/nkazmers/organizedcrime2.html
Lyman, M. D., & Potter, G. W. (2007). Theories of Criminal Behavior. Organized crime (4th ed., pp. 59-81). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Organized Crime. (2010, August 26). FBI. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/organizedcrime/overview

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