ON DEFINING 'ORGANIZED CRIME' - THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DEFINITION AND A TYPOLOGY

• NCJ Number: 35546
• Journal: Crime and Delinquency Volume: 22 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 338-346
• Author(s): M D MALTZ
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS PAPER DISCUSSES SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IN DEFINING ORGANIZED CRIME AND WHITE COLLAR CRIME, OFFERS A GENERAL DEFINITION OF ORGANIZED CRIME, AND DEVELOPS A TYPOLOGY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZED CRIME.

Abstract

THE TYPOLOGY COMPRISES THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: MEANS OF EXECUTION, OBJECTIVES, AND MANIFESTATIONS OF THE OBJECTIVES. THEREFORE, AN ORGANIZED CRIME IS DEFINED AS A CRIME COMMITTED BY TWO OR MORE OFFENDERS WHO ARE OR INTEND TO REMAIN ASSOCIATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMITTING CRIMES. THE MEANS OF EXECUTION OF THE CRIMES COULD INCLUDE ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING: VIOLENCE, THEFT, CORRUPTION, ECONOMIC POWER, DECEPTION, AND VICTIM COLLUSION OR PARTICIPATION. THE OBJECTIVE IS POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC POWER AND THE DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS OF THESE OBJECTIVES COULD INCLUDE OVERTHROW OF THE EXISTING ORDER OR ILLEGAL USE OF THE POLITICAL PROCESS FOR POLITICAL POWER, AND COMMON CRIME, ILLEGAL BUSINESS, OR LEGITIMATE BUSINESS (WHITE COLLAR CRIME) FOR ECONOMIC POWER. APPENDED ARE TEN DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZED CRIME WHICH HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN THE PAST.