NCJ Number
56462
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE GROWTH OF INTERNATIONAL CRIME MUST BE COUNTERACTED BY STRENGTHENING INTERNATIONAL CONTROLS.
Abstract
TYPICAL MULTINATIONAL CRIMES ARE DRUG AND WEAPON TRADE, ORGANIZED CAR THEFT, CARGO HIJACKING, ART THEFT, WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, AND TERRORISM. CRIMINALS HAVE DEVELOPED METHODS USING THE EXISTENCE OF BORDERS TO THEIR ADVANTAGE: THEY COMMIT CRIMES IN STATES WHERE PUBLIC OPINION AND LAW POSE FEW PROBLEMS AND CONSTANTLY CHANGE THEIR RESIDENCES. POLICE COUNTERMEASURES REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN LOCATING CRIMINALS AND IN SURVEILLANCE, AS WELL AS IN INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL EXCHANGE. OBSTACLES TO COOPERATION ORIGINATE IN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COUNTRIES' LEGAL SYSTEMS AND FORMS OF GOVERNMENTS, THE CONFUSED STATE OF EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS, THE LACK OF CLARITY IN DISTRIBUTION OF POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND OTHER COUNTRIES, AND THE SLOWNESS OF INTERNATIONAL POLICE CHANNELS, INCLUDING INTERPOL. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED COOPERATION INCLUDE GREATER POLICE FREEDOM FROM BUREAUCRATIC RED TAPE IN PURSUING INTERNATIONAL CRIMINALS, BILATERAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN SPECIALISTS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF POLICE ADVISORS AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR POLICE OFFICERS. OTHER RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES ARE THE REORGANIZATION OF POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON COUNTERSTRATEGIES FOR CONTROL OF PARTICULAR CRIME TYPES AND ON NEW CRIMINAL DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)