Personal Perception of Organized Crime Paper
* * * * Personal Perception of Organized Crime Paper * Nora Montenegro * CJA/384 * May 17, 2012 * * Robert Birdsall * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Personal Perception of Organized Crime Paper
Crime itself is a general term that describes acts that are going against the grain of law and what is considered legal. Illegal acts do not necessarily have to hurt anyone in particular, and it does not mean that violence has to be part of a crime. A criminal act could be as simple as stealing a blouse or shirt from a department store. In the case of organized crime, the term changes significantly. Organized crime consist of a group of people who have an agenda or a structured plan of corruption, that is to say, a program in place to commit illegal acts to gain power through financial gain, and powerful influence or reputation among the same criminal organization or in the publics eye. Though, the power or prestige gained in the public’s eye does not automatically mean that people in society know of the corruption that particular person in power is involved in.
Today’s technology has facilitated the avenue of organized crime, and in turn, it has complicated the fight against organized crime for law enforcement and investigative agencies. Mafias, cartels, gangs, are instantly known for their organized criminal activity, but some politicians and powerful businessmen are notorious for organized crime activity as well (usually known as white collar crime. Drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, and body part selling are normally the types of corrupted activity that mafias, and cartels use to gain financial power. This paper will describe what entails organized crime, the characteristics of the people involved, and what criminal organizations
Personal Perception of Organized Crime Paper
Crime itself is a general term that describes acts that are going against the grain of law and what is considered legal. Illegal acts do not necessarily have to hurt anyone in particular, and it does not mean that violence has to be part of a crime. A criminal act could be as simple as stealing a blouse or shirt from a department store. In the case of organized crime, the term changes significantly. Organized crime consist of a group of people who have an agenda or a structured plan of corruption, that is to say, a program in place to commit illegal acts to gain power through financial gain, and powerful influence or reputation among the same criminal organization or in the publics eye. Though, the power or prestige gained in the public’s eye does not automatically mean that people in society know of the corruption that particular person in power is involved in.
Today’s technology has facilitated the avenue of organized crime, and in turn, it has complicated the fight against organized crime for law enforcement and investigative agencies. Mafias, cartels, gangs, are instantly known for their organized criminal activity, but some politicians and powerful businessmen are notorious for organized crime activity as well (usually known as white collar crime. Drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution, and body part selling are normally the types of corrupted activity that mafias, and cartels use to gain financial power. This paper will describe what entails organized crime, the characteristics of the people involved, and what criminal organizations
References: Organized Crime, (4th ed), Michael D. Lyman and Gary W. Potter, (2007), Prentice Hall, Pearson Education, Inc. Retrieved from: University of Phoenix Mallory, S. L. (2007). Understanding organized crime. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Retrieved from: University of Phoenix