Criminal Conspiracy Research Articles

Criminological Aspects of Conspirology

The author presents a criminological view of conspirology - the area of knowledge that analyzes phenomena connected with conspiracy, secret, undercover, hidden activities. From the criminological perspective, there are several dimensions to conspirology, each of which requires an independent analysis and methodological approach. The first one is traditional and relates to complicity or criminal conspiracy. The author shows the limited character of the Russian doctrine of participation in counteracting organized crime and objects against tabooing the topic of criminal conspiracy among the representatives of the legit bodies of power and governance. The second dimension describes the conspiracy of criminal activities, professional criminal management defined as the management of: 1) a criminal organization; 2) persons involved in criminal activities by criminal communities and their leaders; 3) convicted inmates. This leads to the concept of criminal bosses as persons involved in criminal management. The third dimension is connected with the interaction and cooperation between the representatives of official and criminal powers. The problem of corruption is especially relevant here. The fourth dimension relates to the criminalization of public relations of different types and levels, or the sliding of public governance into the quagmire of criminality, which, in its final form, leads to the emergence of a criminal state. The fifth dimension, most actively discussed at present, is the criminal plans of globalists, this deep subject of the world politics. Global conspirologists live in a surreal world of their own making, they signify negative social dynamics - backward movement to the past, to the «dark ages» of paganism. They are characterized by a criminal mentality. In the conditions when simulacra are piling up in the information space, each thinking individual is forced to decide whose side to pick: either that of the adepts of global conspiracy projects or of their opponents. The author suggests using the criminological criterion as one of the foundations for making this decision and determining how criminal the implemented projects are and how criminogenic are their consequences.

‘Bad Business’: Capitalism and Criminality in Agatha Christie’s Novels

To the casual reader, Agatha Christie’s fiction seems to be saturated by a deeply conservative culture and supportive of the capitalist status quo. There is indeed some evidence in Christie’s prose that she identified with conservatism. Yet despite her leanings she adopted a critical stance on the world of business. She repeatedly depicted financiers as criminals, even murderers, during the inter-war years and later, in the post-war period, blurred the line between businesses and criminal conspiracies. Christie also used the crookedness of business to provide capitalism’s victims with a motive for murder. The article explains the gap between Christie’s political views and her portrayal of business by arguing that Christie’s fundamental task was to fashion dystopias. In so doing she regarded it as more important to capture the spirit of the times than to propagandise in ways which matched her allegiances. Thus Christie’s engagement with private enterprise provides a valuable snapshot of a society more critical of capitalism and, particularly between the wars, more ready to consider alternatives to it, than is the case in contemporary society.

Mind the grass! Exploring the assessment of informant coverage in policing and law enforcement

ABSTRACTThe use of informants, or Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS), has become a mainstay of contemporary policing and law enforcement in the United Kingdom as police, security and enforcement agencies seek to tackle a range of crimes. Recognising the relative paucity of enquiry on this subject, and addressing the associated requirement for further empirical research, this paper explores how ‘informant coverage’ – the extent to which informants can provide information on targets, suspects, crimes, and criminal conspiracies – is assessed in policing and law enforcement in Scotland. It is principally informed by qualitative research conducted in 2017 and 2018, comprised of semi-structured interviews with 19 participants. Drawing upon a thematic analysis of the resultant data, and enriched by the author's prior experience as a practitioner in this field, this paper identifies the strengths and limitations of established practices. Additionally, this paper highlights the emerging role of analysis, and the contribution of the intelligence analyst, in this specialist area of intelligence work. It concludes that if analysis is to make a valuable and continuing contribution to the effective use of informants in future practice then sustained proactive leadership will be required to support such innovative approaches.

Corporate Conspiracies and Complex Secrets: Structure and Perception of the Insull Scheme in 1930s Chicago

Studies of secrecy argue that criminal conspiracies are discovered when they fail to control the leakage of incriminating information. Yet, corporate crimes often remain secret even after crucial i...

The definition of criminal organization and related court practice in tax-fraud cases

Tax fraud – or more precisely – budget fraud is the most frequent type of crimes associated with the economic activity in Hungary. Criminal organization is one of the so-called joint perpetrations, in addition to the criminal conspiracy and group perpetration. Since over the past years, there are several budget fraud cases when the crimes were committed in a criminal organization, this paper outlines the characteristics of the crime of budget fraud and the definition and statutory elements of the criminal organization, and also shows the relationship between these legal instruments. Finally, I would like to shortly introduce a specific budget fraud case when the crime was committed in a criminal organization.

Peripheral arterial disease and neuroischemic ulcers in diabetic Charcot foot: a criminal conspiracy?

Peripheral arterial disease and neuroischemic ulcers in diabetic Charcot foot: a criminal conspiracy?

예비·음모죄 적용의 엄밀화를 위한 탐색적 연구

예비·음모죄 적용의 엄밀화를 위한 탐색적 연구

Genesis of the Institute of Complicity in the Indian Criminal Law in XIX Century

The Article deals with the history of doctrinal and legal formation of the institute of complicity in the Indian criminal law during colonial period. The mixed nature of the law system assumes some approaches to the criminal conspiracy as from the orthodox tradition (Sanskrit texts, and the treatises of Hinduism), and on the subsystem of the Islamic law. The Article provides the historical analysis of preparatory materials to the Indian Penal Code of 1860 (IPC), the opinions of the leading scientists-criminologists and main judgments. The authors express own opinion on a perspective of group criminality and its influence on the history of the Indian criminal law. Some crime statistics and collecting crime data during the colonial period in India are descript of a criminogenic situation as empirical materials. The prevalence of joint criminal activity and organized groups of local inhabitants was a result of traditional exclusive hierarchy and collective ideology in British India. Religious criminal sect of thugs (a gang of professional murderers and robbers) made the most dangerous category of “criminal tribes” in the colonial period. The organized criminal activity of the thugs was the reason of theoretical search of new criminal policy methods and ways of judicial prosecution in colonial India. As a result, authors have allocated some main figures of British officials who developed the concept of complicity and practically approve “joint participation” in the Indian Penal Code of 1860 during the expanded professional criminality connected with hunger, rebellions, ritual robberies and sacrifices. The Article identifications of some features of the crime partnership in the Indian Penal Code of 1860 (innovative provisions of Macaulay's project), in comparison with the complicity in the common law tradition. The consolidated provisions of abetment in the Indian Penal Code regulated various forms of complicity, grounds for prosecution (liability of abettor), distinction mens rea and actus reus of accomplices, abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons, abetment if offence be not committed, concealing design to commit offence, etc. In the conclusion authors believe that at the present stage in the Indian Penal Code washing out of initially narrow interpretation of complicity in the crime (abetment of offence) and of judicial interpretation of it’s various forms and questions of punishment of accomplices is observed.

The Role of Covert Policing and the Use of Its Results in Criminal Proceedings Involving Unlawful Restraint for Ransom

The article is concerned with the subject matter of covert policing involving cases where a hostage is unlawfully taken and detained with the purpose of forcing other persons to act in a specific manner. Such activities, being among the most difficult procedures relevant to the work of law enforcement agencies, are usually conducted in conditions determined by a rapidly changing factual situation, high level of criminal conspiracy and the state of permanent risk to the hostage’s life, the saving of which is the ultimate objective of public officers. Due to these factors, covert policing related to this kind of cases — given its nature and its investigative potential — becomes extremely important. The author’s aim is to determine the essence and functions of covert policing, and in particular to present conditions which must be met to adequately process covertly obtained intelligence for the needs of criminal proceedings.

Criminal conspiracy as an essential characteristic of complicity

Обґрунтовано визнання змови на вчинення злочину обов’язковою ознакою співучасті. Запропоновано виокремити змову між суб’єктами злочину за відсутності ознак співучасті і змову між співучасниками. Визначено початковий і кінцевий моменти змови для співучасника залежно від його виду. Доведено можливість виникнення співучасті за відсутності виконавця.

El "crimen organizado" y el problema de la doble vía de punición

The problem of organised crimes is in full expansion inside the criminal law's discipline. Under this concept underlie different crimes manifestation that disagree in their ground of the punishment. The national laws are not coincident, in its conceptualization, with the international one. So, the problem in order to determine their limits increase. It is not the aim of this paper to analyse the ground and the need to punish the offence of criminal conspiracy, but to uncover the different offences in which the component organization appears and their resulting problems.

Lay Opinion Testimony and Expert Opinion Testimony Differentiated; Specific Knowledgee Expert Witness Opinion-Testimony; Proposed Amendments to Fed.R.Crim.Proc. 16 (a)(1)(G) and Fed.R.Evid. 701 and 702

Lay Opinion Testimony and Expert Opinion Testimony Differentiated; Specific Knowledgee Expert Witness Opinion-Testimony; Proposed Amendments to Fed.R.Crim.Proc. 16 (a)(1)(G) and Fed.R.Evid. 701 and 702

The criminal conspiracy of the Bush administrations and the protection of Iraq’s children

Abstract US/UK efforts led to the devastation and ruination of Iraq from 1991 through aerial bombardment and economic embargo and then military invasion and occupation (2003–11) which led to the deaths and ruination of large numbers of Iraqi civilians. This period (1990–2011) witnessed the US/UK policy viz. Iraq abrogate the Nuremberg Charter, Judgment and Principles, a repudiation of the very legal mechanisms and norms intended to constrain such state actions. It is suggested that, following such mass casualties, that all US and UK government officials should be held fully accountable under international law for the commission of such grievous international crimes.

THU-359 - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperglycemia and overweight in the elderly: simple traveling companions or criminal conspiracy?

THU-359 - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperglycemia and overweight in the elderly: simple traveling companions or criminal conspiracy?

Special Report--"Imperialism's New Clothes"Exploring the Idea of In uence in Economic Warfare: From Fair Competition to Criminal Conspiracies

Special Report--"Imperialism's New Clothes"Exploring the Idea of In uence in Economic Warfare: From Fair Competition to Criminal Conspiracies

Commentary on Cunningham et al. (2016): Supply control without incarceration?

Commentary on Cunningham et al. (2016): Supply control without incarceration?

Crime Patterns between Tradition and Change: A Territorial Analysis of the Italian Provinces

Violent criminality associated with Mafia-type organizations has been crucial for the image of Italy’s crime. This paper purpose is to verify whether the contemporary situation still matches that image and what has been the impact on crime of more recent factors, above all foreign immigration. Indeed, Italy has been characterized by a recent but tumultuous migratory flow, which has possibly posed difficulties for immigrants’ integration. The territorial analysis, carried out on 103 Italian provinces, shows two discrete scenarios. When all the provinces are considered, serious offences such as intentional homicides, extortions, criminal conspiracies and robberies are still associated with a traditional scenario of socio-economic backwardness and poor social capital. However, when only the Central and Northern provinces are selected, a new, non-traditional form of criminality, associated with “modern” features, such as the presence of immigrants and their problems of integration, clearly emerges.

‘Caution! The Bread is Poisoned’: The Hong Kong Mass Poisoning of January 1857

This article examines the Hong Kong mass poisoning of 15 January 1857, in which bread from a Chinese bakery that supplied the colonial community was adulterated with arsenic. Even though there is a wealth of printed and manuscript documentation available many vital aspects of the poisoning remain unclear. What kind of incident was it: an act of terrorism and attempted mass murder, a war crime, a criminal conspiracy, an act of commercial sabotage, an accident or even an imagined or imaginary event? Throughout, our focus remains firmly fixed on the central act of the poisoning itself and on what it reveals about the precarious nature of early colonial Hong Kong. Interpretations have swarmed over the available ‘facts'. Equally ironic is what happened to the afterlife of how the event was understood. This article seeks to rescue the Hong Kong poisoning from being a freakish and isolated footnote of only local interest. Accepting this historical verdict would be a mistake as it is of significance not only at a local level, but geopolitically in Britain and across the empire.

A Fundamental Weakness in Auditing: The Need for a Conspiracy Theory

The existence of a conspiracy may make the detection of a fraud by an auditor less probable, because of the ability of conspirators to falsify apparently independent items of evidence. At the same time, the existence of a conspiracy makes detection by management or other agencies more probable because of the chance that one of the conspirators or someone who has been approached to join the conspiracy will report the fraud. However, the discovery of major conspiracies to commit fraud and financial crime in companies, such as Enron and the Madoff Investment Securities case, where the auditor was himself convicted as one of the conspirators, suggests the need to re-evaluate the reasonability of asking auditors to assess the risk of a criminal conspiracy existing and the probability of financial crimes committed by the conspirators remaining undetected. This paper proposes a model for the auditor to use in making such an assessment, thereby enhancing the auditor's assessment of the reliability of the overall audit.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and hepatitis C virus: A criminal conspiracy?

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and hepatitis C virus: A criminal conspiracy?