Involvement Of Organised Crime Research Articles

Comparing the criminal careers of organized crime offenders in Italy and the Netherlands

The concept of organized crime has dynamically evolved, with researchers contending that it is a social construct or an umbrella concept encompassing different empirical manifestations. Scholars have often suggested classifying organized crime groups into those involved in “racketeering” or “governing” and those engaged in “transit crime” or “trading.” However, these propositions were never assessed at the level of individual criminal careers. We address two primary objectives: first, we test differences in the criminal careers of organized crime offenders between organized crime contexts that are historically different—comparing Italy, which is primarily known for racketeering organized crime, to the Netherlands, which is characterized more by transit crime. Second, we explore differences between criminal careers of organized crime offenders born in different decades; doing so allows us to measure differences in offending patterns in shifting organized crime contexts due to broader social changes while considering more country-specific changes in law enforcement and organized crime policies. The study relies on the criminal careers of 4480 organized crime offenders in Italy ( n = 3360) and the Netherlands ( n = 1120). We analyze the distributions of criminal career parameters, crime categories, age-crime curves, and offending trajectories. Offenders in Italy exhibit higher offending, earlier violence, earlier onset, and decline; offenders in the Netherlands display later onset, slower decline, and a greater involvement in drug and property offenses. Also, both samples show generalist offending patterns, long-lasting careers, and involvement in organized crime in adulthood. We also find substantial variation across decades of birth, with younger offenders in both countries reporting higher frequencies. We attribute this to the interplay of increased offending among younger individuals, the implicit selection bias in the sampling, and greater law enforcement pressure due to stricter anti-organized crime policies since the 1980s and 1990s.

In Dubio Pro Reo: The Impact of Certainty and Uncertainty on the Identities and Beliefs of an Organized Crime Member

ABSTRACT This study scrutinizes the influence of certainty and uncertainty on identity and beliefs. While certainty is often perceived as positive and uncertainty as negative for an individual, this research reveals that they can operate in more nuanced ways. The focus here is understanding their effects on individuals with interconnected yet conflicting identities and beliefs. Through a case study of Antonio – a member of organized crime who also embraces identities as an artist and a migrant – narratives emerge that illustrate how these forces act upon him. Rather than merely describing how certainty and uncertainty shape involvement in organized crime, the study highlights the complexities they introduce to an individual’s various identities and beliefs systems, and reveals their alignment with specific contextual and communicative needs. This study thus holds significant implications for comprehending how attitudes toward certainty and uncertainty influence identity and belief development in a world typified by both stability and change, and how a criminal identity might intersect with other identities based on the processing of these certainties and uncertainties.

Primena ustanove okrivljenog saradnika kao mogući faktor podsticaja mladih na organizovani kriminal

In this paper, the legal institution of judicial and prosecutorial practice an accused accomplice as a potential factor in inciting young individuals to organized crime. In organized crime, law enforcement agencies instead of individuals deal with a well-structured organization with a solid internal hierarchy, discipline, high level of conspiracy, elaborated strategy, and tactics of concealing criminal activities and evading criminal responsibility. A legal establishment known as "accused accomplice" has been established into Serbian judicial and prosecution system in an effort to identify members of criminal organizations, their associates, and organizers. It's possible that at some point, given the advantages promised to alleged accomplices, youth involvement in organized crime would be encouraged. The research's goal is to determine how students perceive the accused accomplice legal institution as a possible inducement for young people to join organized crime. It is assumed that teenage involvement in organized crime may be encouraged by the rewards promised to members of these organizations for cooperation with the law enforcement. A study was carried out in March 2023 on a sample of 96 high school students, as described in this report, to ascertain this. All research hypotheses were supported by the data obtained using the Scaler - LIJPP - AA - PFIIYTOC (a = .762) and examined using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and analysis of variance. The importance of the analyzed legal institution in the struggle against corruption, terrorism, and organized crime cannot be denied. As a result, it is widespread throughout the world. On the other hand, if there are findings indicating the researched legal institution has a negative impact on the upbringing of children and youth, the question of whether there is room for its existence emerges. By reassessing or implementing the accused accomplice legal institution in a way that won't adversely effect children's and youths' upbringing, a compromise solution must be sought.

A ‘Lens of Labor’: Re-Conceptualizing Young People’s Involvement in Organized Crime

Millions of the world’s children engage in labor, often exploitative and essential to their survival. Child labor is closely related to crime; global discourse illustrates how young people are victims of forced and bonded labor and recent studies from the global South demonstrate how young people are hired as the ‘illicit laborers’ of organized crime groups. Despite this, there is a tendency to consider young people, not as laborers but as victims of trafficking or as offenders (often in relation to gangs). To address this lacuna, the article draws on data from 3 studies conducted in the global South to develop a conceptual framework suitable for understanding the intersection between labor and crime. The article develops a metaphorical ‘labor lens’, a lens which centers and prioritizes labor and instrumental drivers for crime, embedded within wider structures of illicit markets, established organized crime, state:crime collaboration and the need for children to work to survive. The article integrates economic drivers for involvement in organized crime with the moral economy, within the context of ecological frameworks of crime, embedded with wider issues of coloniality. In doing so, the article develops a new conceptual framework for considering young people’s involvement in organized crime.

Mafia wears out women in power: Evidence from italian municipalities

Organized crime targets politicians with discretionary power over public resources, increasing the perceived risk of a political career and lowering its expected payoff. Since experimental evidence shows that women are more risk averse than men, organized crime infiltration should prove more effective in discouraging highly qualified women to take part in politics compared to men with the same level of power. The difference-in-differences estimates, which exploit the municipal government dissolution for mafia infiltration as an exogenous shock to the involvement of organized crime in local politics, reveal that organized crime has a stronger negative effect on the quality of female politicians compared to men. However, our results are compatible with alternative mechanisms such as organized crime influence on voters’ culture and on parties’ recruitment policies. Since our analysis is not conclusive, further research is needed to clearly identify the most likely driver of our results.

Illegal dogfighting: sport or crime?

In recent years there is increasing public attention for dog fighting in Europe. This article focuses on this phenomenon in the Netherlands: its organisation, various actors, modus operandi and possible involvement of organized crime. This qualitative research is based on semi-structured interviews, analysis of police files, observations and online methods. As the result of criminalisation, dogfighting in the Netherlands went underground, creating an illegal market and a sub-culture of dogmen and dogwomen involved. Reputation, status and trust are among the most prominent features of this sub-culture, which is manifested in their analysed communications.

Adolescent involvement in organized crime: media, legal and criminological approach

La participación activa de los jóvenes en los hechos ilícitos relacionados al crimen organizado va en crecimiento, factores como la pobreza, marginación, falta de oportunidades, desarrollo social y humano, entre otros, siguen impactando en los grupos vulnerables, y se generan más condiciones que vulneran aún más a los ya desprotegidos, como a nuevas generaciones, por ello, se observa que las edades de los jóvenes involucrados oscilan entre los 18 y 30, pero se ha observado la presencia de menores de edad, encontrando niños y adolescentes en bandas de grupos criminales. El presente trabajo expone un análisis de este problema desde un enfoque integral de la criminología, primeramente, se ofrece la articulación entre esta y el estudio de la juventud, así como una explicación del crimen organizado; y se plantea el objetivo que es analizar algunas condiciones sociales que reflejan el involucramiento de los menores en la criminalidad organizada, basado en cifras y casos periodísticos.

Women in Organized Crime

The involvement of women in organized criminal activities such as street gangs, mafias, and illegal transnational markets, including human trafficking, human smuggling, and drug trafficking, is an important but understudied subject. Gendered studies and feminist theories can improve current knowledge and provide important new insights. They can enhance understanding of women’s roles, behavior, motivations, and life stories in all forms of organized crime and challenge traditional and established ideas about victims, perpetrators, violence, and agency. Women, in all those settings, occupy both passive, subordinate roles and more active, powerful ones. However, ideas that greater emancipation, labor force participation, and formal equality of women in our time have fundamentally affected women’s involvement in organized crime have not been validated. Borders between victims and perpetrators are often blurred. More research is needed on the effects of globalization and technological change, on the salience of conceptions of masculinity in relation to organized crime, and on conceptualization of violence in women’s personal lives and criminal actions.

Performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) producers and suppliers: a retrospective content analysis of PIED-provider cases in Australia from 2010-2016

Traditionally policymakers have paid little attention to the consumption of steroids and other performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) in Australia. Yet, in recent times PIEDs have come to occupy an increasing amount of discursive space and, indeed, regulatory action. This newfound interest may be attributed to several broader developments, not least the perception of the involvement of organized crime in distributing PIEDs to the professional sports world and other sectors of this illicit market. This paper seeks to explore the empirical reality of the claim that the production and supply of PIEDs in Australia is the prerogative of organized crime groups. A retrospective content analysis of Australian PIED provider cases was conducted between 2010 and 2016. To widen our search, both media articles describing court cases, obtained from the Factiva database, and public online court records, using the Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) database, were searched. Search terms included “steroid*”, “doping” and “testosterone” in combination with the terms “traffic*”, “production”, “supply*” and “import*”. In total, 477 PIED provider cases were identified yet most cases were duplicates, irrelevant or lacked sufficient detail, resulting in a final dataset of 144 cases. A coding schedule was developed based on existing PIED supply literature. Our data shows that most PIED provider cases took place in Queensland (41.7%), followed by New South Wales (25%) and Victoria (13.2%). Regarding the type of providers, the largest group consisted of people active in the gym industry (22%), followed by the healthcare sector (17%), the ‘other’ category (12%) and the security sphere (8%). Of the 144 steroid-provider cases, only 12% of the cases indicated the potential involvement of organized crime groups, with half of those being linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs. In contrast to the claims of authorities, our data suggests that organized crime groups currently play a proportionally small role in the illicit production and supply of steroids and other performance and image enhancing drugs in Australia. Indeed, various actors are involved of which only a small fraction are part of or involved with organized crime groups. Many suppliers are particularly active in the gym industry and healthcare sector. The relative presence of such suppliers has important policy implications, not least with regard to the role of criminal law in addressing the provision of PIEDs.

The gangs of Bangladesh: Exploring organized crime, street gangs and ‘illicit child labourers’ in Dhaka

This article presents a study of street children’s involvement in organized crime in Bangladesh. It is based on an empirical case study conducted in Dhaka and draws on interviews with 22 street children, 80 interviews with criminal justice practitioners, NGO workers and community members and over three years of participant observation of the Bangladeshi criminal justice system and wider society. The article explains how street children work for ‘mastaans’, Bangladeshi organized crime bosses. These children are hired to carry weapons, sell drugs, collect extortion money, commit political violence and conduct contract killings. This article argues that these children are neither victims nor offenders; they are instead ‘illicit labourers’, doing what they can to survive on the streets.

Counterfeiting, fashion and the civil society

Purpose– The paper deals with counterfeiting, its problems and its effects, analyzing the case of Italy in particular. The purpose of this paper is to underline the scale of the phenomenon and its economic and social impact on the fashion industry and civil society, concentrating on the involvement of organized crime. Lastly, it offers some possible counter-strategies for detecting continual violations and ensuring it spreads no further.Design/methodology/approach– The author uses a multidisciplinary approach to the issue of counterfeiting in the fashion industry; beginning with an economic analysis of the phenomenon and examines its social implications, going deeper into the role of the consumer from a sociological point of view and, from a forensic one, the role of organized crime.Findings– Three things emerge from the analysis of the main features of the connection between counterfeiting, the fashion industry and the consequences for civil society: the size of the phenomenon, the low level of awareness in government and civil society about the seriousness of the problem, and the link with organized crime (and resulting social implications).Social implications– The main social implications of this work concern first the role of consumers, who may vary greatly in the degree of awareness they exercise when buying, and second the close connections between organized crime and the counterfeiting supply chain.Originality/value– Counterfeiting has become a global business. In Italy it has reached huge dimensions and has developed some peculiar aspects, particularly in the fashion industry: this paper brings out these economic, social and criminal aspects. In order to effectively tackle this problem, therefore, it is essential to work out both supply side and demand-side strategies and to strengthen co-operation across national borders, taking steps to control the whole supply chain as well as working to educate consumers.

The militarization of anti-poaching: undermining long term goals?

SummaryConservation is at a critical juncture because of the increase in poaching which threatens key species. Poaching is a major public concern, as indicated by the rises in rhino and elephant poaching, the United for Wildlife Initiative and the London Declaration, signed by 46 countries in February 2014. This is accompanied by an increasing calls for a more forceful response, especially to tackle the involvement of organized crime in wildlife trafficking. However, there is a risk that this will be counter-productive. Further, such calls are based on a series of assumptions which are worthy of greater scrutiny. First, calls for militarization are based on the idea that poverty drives poaching. Yet, poaching and trafficking are changing because of the shifting dynamics of poverty in supply countries, coupled with changing patterns of wealth in consumer markets. Second, the ways increases in poaching are being linked to global security threats, notably from Al Shabaab are poorly evidenced and yet circulate in powerful policy circles. There is a risk that militarization will place more heavily armed rangers in the centre of some of the most complex regional conflicts in the world (such as the Horn of Africa and Central Africa/Sahel region).

Anthracite Labor Wars: Tenancy, Italians, and Organized Crime in the Northern Coalfield of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1897–1959

Anthracite Labor Wars: Tenancy, Italians, and Organized Crime in the Northern Coalfield of Northeastern Pennsylvania, 1897–1959

History Matters: Canada's Contribution to the First Worldwide Study of Human Trafficking

Despite the attention given to the issue of human trafficking, the empirical base for policy making remains problematic. During the 1920s, the League of Nations pioneered research into human trafficking with the first intercontinental study. Field work took place in 28 countries across Europe, the Americas, and the Mediterranean; researchers conducted 6,500 interviews in 14 languages. The fieldwork conducted in Canada, the first and last country to be studied, reveals a great deal about human trafficking research today. The researchers encountered problems familiar to current researchers and their official report contains many of the same conclusions. The discussion here explores the unreliability of statistical estimates, difficulties in researching hidden populations, the lack of cases meeting a legal standard, and claims about the involvement of organized crime. It concludes with comments about the importance of incorporating historical perspective into criminology.

Organized crime and the visible hand: A theoretical critique on the economic analysis of organized crime

The illegal enterprise-model has become very popular in the research of organized crime. However, the theoretical foundations of the economic analysis of organized crime can be criticized in a fundamental way, since two key explanatory principles, the model of ‘homo economicus’ and ‘efficient markets’, do not seem to fit the empirical phenomena to be explained. The shortcomings of the economic approach are demonstrated by presenting findings from the Dutch Organized Crime Monitor, an ongoing research project based upon systematic analysis of closed, extensive police investigations into 120 cases of organized crime. These findings highlight social embeddedness (also in cases of transnational organized crime), social relations, work relations, leisure activities and sidelines and life events shaping involvement in organized crime and developments in criminal careers, and manipulation and violence embedded in social relations. The latter demonstrate that offender behaviour is not so much driven by market mechanisms (or the ‘invisible hand’), but rather by the ‘visible hand’ of social relations, and the ‘visible hand’ of manipulation and violence.

State Responses and Migrant Experiences with Human Smuggling: A Reality Check

AbstractUsing Bigo's (2002) notion of “the governmentality of unease” this article reveals a shift in popular discourse around human smuggling in Western Europe and Canada since the 1990s towards increasing criminalization. To analyze this process of criminalization we have identified three recurring elements: boat arrivals; high fees and “bogus” asylum seekers; and the involvement of organized crime. The finding that smugglers today are generally perceived as “evil criminals” who undermine states' ability to manage migration and who need to be punished is contrasted with data derived from interviews with smuggled migrants in the Netherlands and Canada that offer an alternative, more socially embedded understanding of human smuggling. We posit that this reality check and a more nuanced understanding of human smuggling are needed for the protection of international migrants.

Cannabis acute and chronic effects – the dutch experience

Introduction: Historically, the policy on cannabis use in The Netherlands differs from that in many other countries. It is prudent to evaluate this policy at regular intervals, and in 2008 the Dutch Coordination Centre for the Assessment and Monitoring of drugs (CAM) performed a risk assessment on cannabis use in the Netherlands. This includes health risks, and risks related to public order and involvement of organized crime. Special attention was paid to the risks of cannabis with high THC concentrations, the role of cannabis in the development of psychiatric disorders, and the observed increase in addiction care demands.Results: The acute toxicity of cannabis is low. Acute effects include nausea, vomiting, hypotension, tachycardia, “stoned” feeling and drowsiness. Cannabis users smoking cigarettes containing high THC doses (up to 69mg), mixed with tobacco, showed linear relationships between THC dose and THC serum concentration. There is large inter-individual variability in THC Cmax, mainly related to differences in THC absorbed fraction and possibly to differences in metabolism. Heart rate, cognitive and psychomotor impairment, and subjective effects increase with increasing THC dose. Cannabis use is associated with impaired memory function, but the mechanism needs further clarification, as does the question of recovery of memory function. Cannabis use can contribute to the onset of psychotic disorders, especially in vulnerable and young individuals who have already experienced psychotic symptoms or have a family history of psychotic disorders. It has been associated (although not consistently) with a slight increase in the risk for depression. Some cannabis users become dependent. At present, there is lack of scientific evidence that high THC dose contributes to the increased demand of addiction care.Conclusion: Increased awareness in young people on the health risks associated with the use of cannabis is necessary.

Rompendo com a criminalidade: saída de jovens do tráfico de drogas em favelas na cidade do Rio de Janeiro

This article deals with the lives of young egress of drug traffic in the slums of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Its main objective is to examine the circumstances and the specific conditions that drive young people to abandon this illegal work activity. The method used to collect data was the topical life story in order to find out how 30 youths, from seven slums, had got involved until their departure from the 'movement'. Data shows that youths, entering trafficking, had an expectation of empowerment. With time, this attitude will wane, as they realize they are living with situations of betrayal, punishment and fear. The process for getting out occurs when the youth begins to question this type of work and sees other ways of life, more consistent with their aspirations. The facts conclude that when getting an early involvement in organized crime it leaves them physically and emotionally exhausted, as selling drugs is an ongoing confrontation through constant episodes of armed conflicts and arms dealing.

Criminal Careers in Organized Crime and Social Opportunity Structure

This paper presents the main findings of quantitative and qualitative research into the criminal careers of about 1000 offenders who were involved in 80 extensively analysed cases of organized crime. The paper analyses how and when offenders become known to the criminal justice authorities, studies in depth the criminal careers of `starters' and analyses in detail the criminal careers of (ring)leaders and `nodal' offenders. Because social ties play an important role in organized crime, the paper emphasizes that the social opportunity structure, defined as social ties providing access to profitable criminal opportunities, is extremely important for explaining involvement in organized crime. It explains why certain offenders `progress' to certain types of organized crime whereas others become involved only later on in life. Social opportunity structure may also explain interesting phenomena such as `late starters' — people without any appreciable criminal history — and people in conventional jobs who switch careers.

Synthetic drugs trafficking in three european cities: Major trends and the involvement of organized crime

Synthetic drugs trafficking in three european cities: Major trends and the involvement of organized crime