NCJ Number
220770
Date Published
2007
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examines the victimization of business as both an indicator and product of organized crime in Ukraine.
Abstract
Businessmen victimized by organized crime are chosen based upon their economic condition and their involvement in activities of interest to organized criminal groups. The level of victimization is determined not only by the level of involvement of organized crime, but also by the victims’ perceptions of how business should be operated. The responses of businessmen surveyed for this research reflect their association of business victimization with organized crime. Those surveyed, however, seriously underestimated the level of victimization of the population as a whole. Protection rackets are run by law enforcement and virtual garden variety of extortionists, as well as more sophisticated criminal organizations, both seeking to victimize businessmen. The relationship between organized crime and businesses in Ukraine will continue to exist as long as the criminal opportunities for conducting business are more attractive than the legal ones. Further research on the dynamics and characteristics which increase the potential for victimization is clearly needed to develop systems to monitor the practice and identify methods that can prevent the further victimization of businesses in Ukraine. Researchers in this study of business victimization polled businessmen in the Black Sea port city of Odessa in 1999 about their connections with organized crime. The telephone survey involved a random sample of 500 businessmen, and a personal survey consisted of a convenience sample of 100 businessmen who were involved in the Odessa clothing markets. References