NCJ Number
199043
Journal
Trends in Organized Crime Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: Winter 2000 Pages: 44-140
Editor(s)
James Finckenauer
Date Published
2000
Length
96 pages
Annotation
This report presents findings of a survey, conducted by the Center for International Crime Prevention (CICP), of 40 selected organized criminal groups in 16 countries and 1 region in an attempt to both build the knowledge base on organized crime groups and to develop a comparative framework for the study of the phenomenon.
Abstract
Globalization and growing economic interdependence have encouraged and promoted the transformation of crime beyond borders in all parts of the world. The nature of organized crime in the contemporary world cannot be understood separately from the concept of globalization. A survey was conducted by the Center for International Crime Prevention (CICP) in an attempt to collect data and information on organized crime trends at an international level, looking at a variety of jurisdictions. Findings are presented of the survey of 40 selected organized criminal groups in 16 countries and 1 region. The report is divided into five sections. The introduction begins with a short review of the definition used for transnational organized crime by the Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Convention. The second section gives an overview of the mechanics of the project itself. In the third section of the report, an overview of the data gathered on each of the groups in question is provided. The fourth section uses the information gathered to present five possible standard typologies of transnational organized crime groups with characteristics presented and illustrated. The five typologies include: (1) standard hierarchy; (2) regional hierarchy; (3) clustered hierarchy; (4) core group; and (5) criminal network. The report concludes with an examination of the possibilities for future data collection on transnational organized crime groups at an international level. Figures