Controlling Organized Crime Essay

The following research will discuss how to control organized crime from different perspectives, principles, and theories. It will also encompass the problems presented by organized crime and the relationships it must establish to be successful and for its survival. This research will also explain how federal laws limit law enforcement agencies effectiveness to combat organized crime. There are probable solutions to some of the issues that we have today with organized crime tribunals. Organized crime groups are criminals that operate by conducting lawful and unlawful acts. In many occasions these organized crime groups own legitimate business, which works as a tool to launder money and camouflage their illegal activities. Criminal organizations are similar to major corporations in the aspect of providing a product that the public wants and demands for. They provide to their market an array of illegal comforts and not limited to; gambling, prostitution, narcotics, weapons, and stolen e lectrical products at a marked down rate. Criminal organizations would not be involved with any acts that do not result in a profit. Law enforcement studies have determined different theories that can assist in determining the reasons why the public in a particular geographical location have decided to partake in criminal activities. Many people fall to be victims to organized crime. They are affected by the drugs and other illegal activities that are brought into their community. Some victims are killed by organized crime groups for an array of reasons. Criminal justice scholars have established three major theories that assist law enforcement agencies to determine the origin of these criminal organizations. The alien conspiracy theory mainly consist of immigrants with different cultural believes and way of life (Lyman & Potter, 2007). In most cases this group of people have joined together to fight against government suppression. It is important to understand these reasons so law enforcement agencies can gather information by using tactics that will not raise the criminal organizations suspicions and be able to gather intelligence. The community and social networks in geographical locations are important factors that must be taken in to consideration when studying these criminal groups. Law enforcement agencies must determine if these locations life demands exceed the individual’s resources. When an individual is in a bad situation they may analyze the pros and cons of a criminal life and rationally decided that there are better opportunities and benefits turning to a criminal life style, this is called the rational choice theory (Lyman & Potter, 2007). To control criminal activity law enforcement has implemented severe punishments for crimes that relate to providing illegal substances or acts to the public. This method of controlling crime is called the deterrence theory (Lyman & Potter, 2007). Organized crime is combated at multiple levels federal and local. Local governments determine the methods and the intensity of law enforcement in their regions. It is ultimately there decision and responsibility to combat organized crime in their area. Because corruption and organized crime is primarily found in areas with deteriorated social development it is important that the local governments provide better opportunities for society. In these cases the government is inadequate and in most cases it fails to provide the proper financial means. Furthermore, it lacks a strong judicial system. Law enforcement agencies encounter legal limitations at all times when dealing with criminal cases. Many of those limitations can be found in the United States Constitution. Others are as simple as area of jurisdiction. For example: If an investigation leads officers to another state, they would need to notify their judicial and law enforcement agencies of their presence and be granted authority to continue their investigation in their area. Levels such as local, state, and national law enforcement exist and they may only execute arrest within their are a of operation. Otherwise they would need to get approval and if the approval is not granted any evidence found will be dropped from evidence. Also a limitation, such as the Fourth Amendment of the constitution prohibits law enforcement from illegal search and seizures. For example: If a law enforcement agent is investigating a Mafia member they must first gather sufficient evidence that shows with a doubt that there is probable cause and also be granted a search warrant by a judge. These procedures require tedious amount of work and time. The longer the process takes the efforts put into surveillance the more likely it is that the criminal will become aware of law enforcement presence and change their methods. The Fifth Amendment protects the accused and leaves the burden of proof to the prosecutor, which works from intelligence gathered by law enforcement. The Organized crime control act of 1970 and the RICO act are law passed to control organized crime groups from racketeering into legal business es. The patriot act extremely lowered restrictions to law enforcement agents giving them the authority to implement to their tactics wiretaps, audit of business records, and surveillance of people involved with terrorist groups. Because many organized crimes groups are involved with terrorist groups in the purchase and sell of products the patriot act granted the opportunity to law enforcement to investigate on suspects that were hard to reach before the patriot act became active. The most effective solution to fighting organized crime is for law enforcement agencies to work together at local, state, national, and international levels. In many occasions organized crime groups have people that aid them in political power positions. Government employees should be subject to a full back ground check and affiliation research to ensure that they are not assisting or co-working with any known criminal groups. Furthermore, these checks must also be performed in the military to ensure that we are not training individuals that are affiliated to criminal groups and inadvertently making them stronger. Organized crime groups are large profitable organizations. Law enforcement agencies are working together to implement laws and new tactics to reduce their criminal activity. It is imperative to understand that it requires the three groups of the judicial system to effectively combat organized crime. While the police enforces and neutralizes criminal activities the government must provide options to society to deter them from supporting or joining criminal activities. â€Æ'References Lyman, M. D., & Potter, G. W. (2007). Organized crime (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.