NCJ Number
161893
Journal
Transnational Organized Crime Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: special issue (Autumn 1995) Pages: 108-140
Editor(s)
P Williams,
E U Savona
Date Published
1995
Length
33 pages
Annotation
This report overviews existing modalities of international cooperation, analyzes goals that should be achieved, and considers basic concepts of and prospects for international cooperation.
Abstract
After examining how bilateral, regional, and international cooperation can help achieve an effective convergence of national policies against organized crime and identifying cases in which compatibility of policies can increase the law enforcement risk for organized crime groups, an agenda for international cooperation is delineated. The first step toward convergence should be achieved through regulatory and crime control legislation, while the second step should be the enhancement of law enforcement capabilities in terms of professionalism and technology. In any agenda for international cooperation, regulatory measures needed to obtain maximum transparency of financial systems and to prevent monopolies should not be neglected. Further, consideration should be paid to specific offenses committed by criminal organizations and to the proceeds of crime. The agenda should also include legislation that allows law enforcement agencies to conduct wiretapping, electronic surveillance, and undercover operations. The ability of criminals to exploit high technology resources should be matched by at least an equivalent law enforcement action. In particular, the sophistication of transnational criminal organizations means that law enforcement agencies should be provided with specific training in financial investigations. In cases where transnational organized crime targets developing countries or countries in transition, technical cooperation in drafting appropriate laws becomes essential. The United Nations offers a forum in which global action to prevent transnational organized crime can be promoted. 18 notes