Identification and Investigation of Organized Criminal Activity

• NCJ Number: 78535
• Author(s): R C Stewart
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 383 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National College of District Attorneys; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Price includes prepaid postage. A limited number of copies are available from the sales source. Roles and Functions of the Prosecutor series, volume 7.

Annotation

Based on a series of courses on organized crime, this book delineates the organization and operations of the special enforcement unit, the investigative powers of the grand jury, the techniques used in combating public corruption, and the problems posed by labor-management racketeering.

Abstract

Because traditional law enforcement methods are not effective in fighting organized crime, special strike forces have been developed. These units are described as having four common elements: an interdisciplinary approach involving prosecutors, investigators, and other experts; insulation from outside political and internal departmental pressures; a focus on individual offenders rather than on an offense; and a commitment to initiating investigation rather than responding to citizen calls for service. This book provides guidelines for unit organization, personnel selection, and orientation and training. It deals with information-gathering problems and resources and covers the grand jury survey, the prisoner interview, and data retrieval and dissemination issues, such as disclosure. Management problems are dealt with in discussions on handling information and proper use of such techniques as undercover operations, physical and electronic surveillance, search and seizure tactics, and an array of civil and criminal proceedings. Examples of grand jury investigations involving a contract murder and possible violations in a public works project are presented to illustrate the value of an investigative grand jury in overcoming the problems which are common to special enforcement cases. Legal citations are used to detail important areas of grand jury practice. Several areas of grand jury practice in which collateral litigation is fairly common are described, and the value of joint Federal-State investigations in arson proceedings and in nursing home investigations is cited. Examples of official corruption in a narcotics squad, a drunk driving case, and more are given. Finally, the book reviews problems posed by labor-management racketeering by providing an outline of racketeering techniques to exploit a captive labor organization, a description of organized crime's infiltration of business and government, and a review of Federal legislation and law enforcement techniques to combat the problem. Footnotes are included.