NCJ Number
133208
Date Published
1991
Length
375 pages
Annotation
The Pennsylvania Crime Commission has a legislative mandate to investigate organized crime and public corruption. Its 1990 report assesses organized crime trends, the evolution of organized crime over the past decade, and the role of law enforcement and other government agencies in curtailing organized crime.
Abstract
The Commission's definition of organized crime recognizes the traditional association between organized crime groups and the provision of illegal goods and services and focuses on the goal of economic gain and tactics used to secure that gain. The Commission's 1990 report surveys a wide range of crime groups including nontraditional Hispanic crime networks and traditional groups like the La Cosa Nostra. The report documents the nature and scope of organized crime activity during the past 10 years, describes the illegal ventures of organized crime groups, assesses present and continuing threats posed by organized crime, and provides the State legislature and citizens with direction for organized crime control policy. The report also analyzes organized crime in terms of ethnic or racial composition and its role in the formation and function of organized crime reports. The report specifically considers drug trafficking, gambling, loansharking, racketeering, and outlaw motorcycle gangs as well as black, Jamaican, Hispanic, and Asian groups. Tables and figures