Organized Crime Vs Globalized Crime

The Mafia was first developed in Sicily in feudal times to protect the estates of landlords who were out of town. The word Mafia, derived from the Sicilian word, Mafioso, means family. Today, Mafia is a name which describes a loose association of criminal groups. These groups can be bound together by blood, oath or sworn secrecy. Many people had considered the Sicilian Mafia as the most ruthless mobsters of the twentieth century.

“It was during the troubled years of the 1860s that the Italian kingdom’s ruling class ruling class first heard talk of the mafia in Siciliy” (Dickie, s38, 2004). In this quote we find a potential reason to why the idea that the mafia was born during the making of the modern Italian state has become leading with scholars. Most likely this event shaped the mafia into what it has become because of the political influence that the Italian state bestowed upon Sicily. However, it is not unlikely that the mafia wasn’t already existing in Sicily during this time, and most definitely that criminal gangs of Sicily before this time had traits that were transferred into the mafia as it evolved under the new Italian kingdom. While the mafia is largely

In our reading of Illicit by Naim (2005), he suggests that the asymmetrical relationship between the government and transnational crime groups create a struggle for the government to respond to these transnational crimes at a decent rate (Naim,2005). On the other side our reading in McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld by Glenny (2009), suggest otherwise. Glenny (2009) suggests that of a relationship between transnational crime groups, the public, the government and this is a huge aspect to how the government responds to these factors. Both perspectives contain their strengths and weaknesses, however the dependency theory by Glenny has more valid points than that of the asymmetrical theory by Naim.

The Mafia way of life may seem like a romantic updated version of the western movie played out on the streets of the big cities where the good guys and the wise guys who share the same instincts and values do battle before an enthralled public but it is actually very different. The Mafia is really just a group of uneducated thugs making money by victimizing the public. Initially, the Mafia was setup as a prominent supplier of bootlegged liquor, but it has spread into many different areas of crime. During this research paper I will discuss three aspects of the Mafia which are crime, structure and decline in leadership.

In Sicily, the island southwest of Italy, a place historically invaded by foreign armies, a group known as “The Mafia” with no criminal orientation began to grow in order to protect the citizens from such invaders. Starting in the 19th century, members of the group began exploiting protection money from various landowners and grew into the violent organization known as the Sicilian Mafia (History).

U. S has taken a position to implement vital steps to police illegal activities worldwide. Also, using the Law enforcement agencies to find solutions and best practices is critical to stopping transnational organized crime. The United States government plays an important part in this process. They must engage in stricter policies and strategic thinking to fight the corruption of transnational organized crime.

The Italian Mafia in the U.S. can trace its origins all the way back to the Sicilian Mafia which was founded in Sicily during the 1800’s (Italian Organized Crime). After thousands of years of different armies with different nationalities conquering Italy and exploiting its people, the Sicilians became to be more clannish and family focused. Originally they were just resistance fighters that were protecting their friends and family. They were relied on for protection, justice, and survival. Nobody cared if they got money from it because it came from the oppressive authorities. Members of these groups were known as “Men of Honor” and they were well respected and even admired because they looked out for their family and kept silent sometimes even unto death. They didn’t become an organized crime group until the 1920’s however (Italian Organized Crime). It was around this same time that the US began to see what later became La Cosa Nostra or “our thing,” better known as the American Mafia which was aided by the “thousands of Italian organized crime figures, mostly Sicilian Mafiosi” who came to the United States illegally (Italian Organized Crime). The modern American Mafia is credited to Charles “Lucky” Luciano who came over in the 1920’s (Italian Organized Crime). Luciano structured La Cosa Nostra just like their Sicilian

Imagine living in a world where crime ruled. A world where gangsters were more powerful than politicians, owned the police, and ran the city in whatever way they felt. They robbed whom they wanted and killed when they didn't get their way. Now stop imagining and realize that this happened here in the United States of America in the 1920's. It was run by an organization made up mainly of Italians called the Mafia.

The economic impact of organized crime is staggering. “… a look at the economic impact alone gives a glimpse of the importance of this issue. The

The Global Regime for Transnational Crime reports that there are 52 activities that fall under the umbrella of transnational crime from arms smuggling to human trafficking to environmental crime. Terrorists’ activities, money laundering, and drug trafficking can change the dynamics of a business from legitimate to illegitimate. Organized crime is such an issue that causes challenges and problems locally to globally. There is a need to look at the mindset of those who will benefit the most from this behavior. Typically, it is leaders and large organizations. Transnational crime will always exist because of the criminal activity of some powerful people and government corruption. With careful examination of the offenses, most forms of transnational crime are committed by organized groups such as the mafia. According to The Globalized of Crime – A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment organized groups are targeting poor and conflict-ridden countries that are operating the following crimes (Noble,

The phenomenon has grown in the 1970s with the growing resources procured by drug trafficking to large criminal organizations. Economic crime has appeared first to circumvent the tax laws then, over time, especially with the development of modern technology, has become an area where organized crime is a source of huge gains. The main bleaching needs are directly related to the activities of organized crime, whose development is characterized by a double movement of diversification and internationalization. The ways, means and places used to make the money laundering are varied; this being so, the objective is always the same.

Transnational crime is a growing problem. Transnational crime is defined as “self-perpetuating associations of individuals who operate transnational for the purpose of obtaining power, influence, monetary and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption and/ or violence, or while protecting their illegal activities through a transnational structure and the exploitation of transnational commerce or communication mechanisms.” (National Security Council, n.d.) . Transnational crimes are known under other names such as cross-national crime, global crime, international crime, and

This research paper will discuss the differences and similarities of organized crime and corporate crime. Both organized crime and corporate crime are present in the United States. Corporate crime involves a corporation taking advantage of the general public. However, organized crime involves a group of criminals coming together and forming a structurally organized group who takes advantages of individuals, organizations and the government (Vadera, 2013). In many instances, corporate criminals have government agencies in their back pockets so the government do not go after of the companies who are involved in corporate crime. (Mokhiber, 2007). Both corporate crime and organized have different scopes, however there effects are similar. Both of these

Speaking about criminality, it is necessary to say about Italian mafia. Based on the report of 2009 year, commissioned by Italy's parliamentary anti-mafia commission, it is possible to say that now it is silently prospering, moving on from spectacular crimes and massacres to business and politics, with a prudent dose of intimidation and violence in a bid to take over the fundamental role of the state. The highest concentration of people living under the shadow of the mafia, 95.9%, was in the province of Agrigento in Sicily, followed by Naples, at 95%. (Tom Kington, guardian.co.uk, 2009).

Organized crime can be defined as a group of three or more people, not randomly formed, existing for a period of time, acting together to commit a crime punishable by at least four years in prison, for financial or material gain. (UNTOC) As this addresses, organized crime can be characterized by many factors, one of which being an organized hierarchy or group of people. Organized crime has a prime focus on rational profit – the goal is to earn money. Provision of illicit goods and services in the most common method of profiting, infiltration of legitimate businesses for illegitimate reasons also occurs. Corruption of public officials also allows for the organized crime members to develop and retain a sport of illegitimate immunity. Use of force or threats can also play a role.