NCJ Number
28112
Date Published
1971
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE NEED TO SPECIFICALLY DEFINE WHAT MAKES CRIME 'SOPHISTICATED', 'PROFESSIONAL', OR 'ORGANIZED' AND TO DEAL WITH THEM ACCORDINGLY.
Abstract
HE MAINTAINS THAT CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AS ORGANIZATIONS, NOT MERELY AS COLLECTIONS OF INDIVIDUAL CRIMINALS, AND THAT ANY ATTACK ON THEM MUST DEAL WITH ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND THE SOCIAL CONTEXTS IN WHICH THE STRUCTURES THRIVE. IT IS FURTHER THEORIZED THAT ORGANIZED CRIME THRIVES BECAUSE ONLY ITS INDIVIDUAL ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES (GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, NARCOTICS) ARE AGAINST THE LAW, NOT ORGANIZED CRIME ITSELF. SIX VARIETIES OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION ARE IDENTIFIED ON A CONTINUUM OF DECREASING RATIONALITY, AND THE TWO MOST COMPLEX KINDS OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION - THE 'COMMISSIONER' AND THE 'CORRUPTER/CORRPUTEE/ENFORCER' VARIETIES - ARE DESCRIBED AND DISCUSSED IN DETAIL.