Causes of Transnational Criminal Activities, Research Paper Example

Organized Crimes Definition

Organized crime can be defined as unlawful activities carried out by members of a very organized discipline association which includes supplying illegal services and goods, gambling, loan sharking, drugs prostitution etc. The main types of organized crimes in the USA are: the Russian Mafia, Italian Mafia, and the Chinese Tongs; mafia or the mob is also referred to as La Cosa Nostra or Our Thing and may include the Japanese Yakuza. “” (Organized crime council, 2008).

These groups practice are gambling, labor racketeering, prostitution, smuggling/trafficking, theft, murder, extortion, and money laundering, these organizations are known to penetrate strategic sectors of the economy, provide logistical support to terrorist, government and other foreign intelligence services , they may also exploit united states financial systems and move illicit funds. Though in the US, most of the organized crimes are known to use the cyber space to target mainly the US victims and infrastructures. They have gone to the extent of manipulating securities exchange and even perpetrate very sophisticated frauds. “” (Sanderson, 2004, p. 34)

Causes of organized crimes in the USA

• Unemployment

• Hard economic times

• Compulsory group loyalty

• Business interest

• Family traditions of the Mafia

How the government is combating organized crime

The transnational nature of organized crimes in the USA has surged and the criminals have expended most of their actions and operations across borders making their modes of operations more complicated”” (Sanderson, 2004, p. 34)

Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets ActThe congress increased the federal governments role while combating the organized crimes, they have thus increased their congressional hearings and enacted the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-351). They allowed for wire tapping of the communication so f organized criminal to help in obtaining evidences.”” (Organized crime council, 2008).

The Organized Crime Control Act and RICO

The Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-452) provided for establishment of special grand juries which are charged with producing reports and investigate multi jurisdictional organized crimes . They also laid foundation for witness protection program. Title IX of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 has created a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) that allows for the prosecution of people who participates or even conspires to participate in any form of criminal organization through acts of “racketeering activity”.

The financial structure of organized crimes has been attacked by the federal government through its asset forfeiture and money laundering statutes”” (Shelley, 2006, p. 21)..

 The law enforcement agencies involved is

1. The Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI is considered the only entity with the ability to fully combat organized rimes in the USA through the use of Enterprise Theory of Investigation (ETI) to investigate organized crime.
2. The drugs enforcement agency (DEA) “” (Shelley, 2006, p. 21).

References

Sanderson, M. T. (2004, Spring). Transnational terror and organized crimes. SAIS Review, 24(1), 49-61

Shelley, L. (2006, Feb) Globalization of terrorism and organized crimes. Global issues, 23(2), 42-45

Organized crime council. (2008, April). Overview of law enforcement agency to combat organized crime. US Department of justice