SOMETHING THAT MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT ORGANIZED CRIME THAN COSA NOSTRA (FROM CRIME SOCIETY ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION IN AMERICA, 1976, BY F A J IANNI, AND E REUSS-IANNI - SEE NCJ-38622)

• NCJ Number: 38624
• Author(s): D C SMITH
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: New American Library
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

CONTENDING THAT POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS OF THE NATURE OF ORGANIZED CRIME HAVE HINDERED DEVELOPMENT OF REALISTIC ANTI-CRIME APPROACHES, THE AUTHOR PROPOSES A NEW WAY OF DEFINING THE ROLE AND NATURE OF ILLICIT ENTERPRISE.

Abstract

AS A RESULT OF THE COMMON MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT ORGANIZED CRIME, THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT WE HAVE DEALT WITH UNREALISTIC DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN LICIT AND ILLICIT ENTERPRISES IN THE POLITICAL-ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND HAVE MAINTAINED A CONTINUING FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL RATHER THAN ON THE SYSTEMATIC ISSUES WHICH SERVE TO DEFINE ORGANIZED CRIME. IN THIS ARTICLE THE AUTHOR OUTLINES THREE PERSPECTIVES WITHIN WHICH A DEFINITION OF ORGANIZED CRIME MIGHT BE CAST: 1) AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON TO BE ANALYZED AND UNDERSTOOD AS PART OF AMERICAN SOCIETY; 2) AS A SPECIFIC SET OF ACTS OR STATES OF BEING WHICH HAVE BEEN DEFINED AS ILLEGAL; AND 3) AS A POPULAR CONCEPT TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC. THE AUTHOR PROPOSES AN ALTERNATE SYSTEM OF ANALYSIS WHICH VIEWS ALL BUSINESS ACTIVITY AS FALLING ON A CONTINUUM OF BEHAVIOR RANGING FROM VERY SAINTLY TO VERY SINFUL AND QUESTIONS THE USUAL SHARP DISTINCTION BETWEEN ORGANIZED CRIME AS ILLICIT ENTERPRISE AND SO-CALLED LEGITIMATE BUSINESS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)