Organized Crime: Culture, Markets and Policies

The term global organized crime is often used to refer to worldwide illegitimate activities of criminal groups and networks and is associated with the so-called globalization process . Although it can not be denied that due to economic, technological, political and cultural developments, borders have disappeared or changed, markets have extended, mobility and communication facilities have improved, it would be a major fallacy to study organized crime and its containment solely from a global perspective. The central premise of this book is that we need more in-depth, empirically funded, knowledge on organized crime in specific situational contexts, rather than trying to predict how organized crime might develop throughout the world.§The fifteen contributions in the book deal with various aspects of organized crime (drugs, diamonds, human trafficking, eco-crime, conflict resolution, underground banking, crime facilitators) in various parts of the world (Sicily, Sinai, the US, Quebec, Amsterdam, Antwerp, tropical rain forests in Africa and Asia and so on). Distinguished scholars pay attention to historical and contemporary manifestations of organized crime, the symbiotic relationship between legitimate and illegitimate activities, and innovative, dual strategies that have been developed to contain and prevent these serious forms of crime. They explore different theoretical arguments from the perspective of their own disciplines, which include sociology, criminology, political science and anthropology.Complex interactions of economic, technological, political, and cultural factors have fed the rise of criminal networks worldwide. At the same time, global illegal activities depend on a world of social realities to function. Organized Crime moves beyond traditional concepts of "evil forces" corrupting their host societies, instead analyzing local, national, and international manifestations of organized crime in the situational contexts that aid in its development.§The contributors provide up-to-date understanding of various aspects of organized crime, in both classic areas of research (drugs, sex trafficking, labor racketeering) and emerging areas of interest (diamond smuggling, money laundering, eco-crime), in locales as varied as Italy, Quebec, the Sinai, Bulgaria, and the world s tropical rain forests. Topics are explored from a variety of perspectives, including sociology, criminology, political science, and anthropology, giving this book empirical breadth and depth rarely seen in the literature.§A sampling of the topics:§Symbolic and economic meanings of crime to cultures.§The symbiotic relationships between legitimate and criminal activities.§Ethical dilemmas of legitimate businesses with criminal clients.§Marketing, problem-solving, recruitment: organizational models of criminal enterprises.§Innovative law enforcement/administrative strategies for containing and preventing crime in the U.S. and across Europe.§Scholars and researchers of organized crime as well as advanced students of criminology will welcome Organized Crime for coverage that is wide-ranging, comparative, and specific enough to match their interests.