NCJ Number
88704
Date Published
1983
Length
18 pages
Annotation
To deal with the changing nature and growing sophistication of organized crime, Congress should create a National Organized Crime Commission; authorize the pretrial detention of dangerous defendants; and establish a system of uniform, determinate sentences.
Abstract
Other essential components of the President's program to deal with organized crime are the authorization of Government appeal of sentences, restructuring of the entire range of criminal fines and prison terms, making criminal forfeitures available in all major drug trafficking cases, and prohibiting the use of the exclusionary rule when a law enforcement officer has acted in good faith. To deal with labor racketeering, legislation should establish consistent laws regarding disqualifying crimes which prohibit those convicted from holding positions in labor unions and employee benefit plans and should enact a labor bribery statute that would impose felony penalties in cases involving corruption in labor-management relations. The Administration is also supporting legislative initiatives related to drug trafficking and organized crime. All these measures are needed because of the enormous market for illicit drugs and the emergence of new organized criminal enterprises dealing in drugs and the other rackets traditionally controlled by the syndicates. Among these groups are outlaw motorcycle gangs and prison gangs. The President has already undertaken many actions to combat organized crime, including the reorganization of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the creation of 12 regional task forces to coordinate all Federal agency activities against organized drug trafficking.