NCJ Number
133266
Journal
American Criminal Law Review Volume: 28 Issue: 3 Dated: special issue (1991) Pages: 679-710
Date Published
1991
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This review of the Travel Act, which originated in 1961 as one of eight legislative proposals to combat organized crime, covers amendments to the Act, elements the prosecution must prove to establish a Travel Act violation, appropriate defenses, and procedural issues.
Abstract
The Travel Act prohibits travel or the use of facilities of interstate or foreign commerce for the purpose of furthering an "unlawful activity" as defined under the Act. At this time, the Act is used to fight "business enterprises" involved in narcotics or controlled substances and reflects a perceived shift in the concentration of such enterprises from involvement in traditional organized crime activities to involvement in drug trafficking activities. To establish a Travel Act violation, the prosecution must prove the "interstate element," the "intent element," and the "performance element." The United States will have a new weapon against international drug syndicates if the Travel Act finds application in an international arena. 267 footnotes