NCJ Number
133265
Journal
American Criminal Law Review Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: Special issue (1991) Pages: 637-677
Date Published
1991
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This review of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"), enacted as Title IX of the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 to remove organized crime from the legitimate business community, identifies basic concepts, requirements of RICO indictments, civil penalties, and defenses.
Abstract
In practice, prosecutors have applied RICO on a considerably broader scale than originally intended. Recent case law illustrates that RICO has begun to permeate previously impenetrable business entities such as insurance companies and accounting and law firms. A significant element in recent years has been the increase in civil RICO actions brought on the part of private individuals. Thus far, efforts on the part of some members of Congress to promote legislation limiting RICO's now expansive scope have failed, but RICO reform promises to be a high-profile judiciary issue. 336 footnotes