ORGANIZED CRIME AND AMERICAN POLITICS (FROM CRIME SOCIETY - ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN AMERICA, 1976, BY F A J IANNI AND E REUSS-IANNI - SEE NJC-38622)

• NCJ Number: 38629
• Author(s): D A CAPUTO
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 13 pages
• Corporate Author: New American Library
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ORGANIZED CRIME IS ANALYZED AS A 'MAJOR INSTITUTION' THAT IS 'PART OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SOCIETY AND AFFECTED BY PUBLIC POLICY DECISIONS.'

Abstract

THE AUTHOR ARGUES THAT ORGANIZED CRIME SHOULD BE STUDIED WITH MORE ATTENTION TO THE POLITICAL VARIABLES INFLUENCING ITS ACTIVITY, I.E., THE ROLE OF FEDERALISM AND CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT. TWO ASPECTS OF AMERICAN FEDERALISM THAT DIRECTLY IMPINGE ON AND INFLUENCE ORGANIZED CRIME ARE DISCUSSED - THE ABSENCE OF A CLEAR CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR THE URBAN CENTERS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTIONS THAT EXIST IN THE UNITED STATES. ALSO CONSIDERED IS THE EMPHASIS IN THE UNITED STATES ON CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND DUE PROCESS WHICH MAKES ANY ATTEMPT TO COMBAT ORGANIZED CRIME A LENGTHY, EXPENSIVE, AND ARDUOUS PROCESS. THE DISCUSSION OF THE INFLUENCE OF THESE VARIABLES COVERS CORRUPTION AS PART OF THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS OF ORGANIZED CRIME, THE EFFECT OF PUBLIC POLICY ON ORGANIZED CRIME, AND ITS FUTURE.