Organised Crime
Organised Crime - A definition
There is no generally accepted definition of organised crime. For the purposes of community safety work we need to distinguish it from more individualised and opportunistic forms of crime. Organised crime is crime which is intentionally commissioned, developed or executed by two or more people. Organised crime can be divided up into 'simple' and 'complex'
Simple organised crime is an extension, by delinquent sub groups, of established patterns of disorder and crime; the local bully extending his behaviour to forms of extortion or the bogus caller committing acts of 'burglary artifice in conjunction with others. Complex organised crime is where these forms of criminal activity are established as a systematic forms of sustainable exploitation; effectively the difference between a 'cottage industry approach to crime' and industrialisation.
Organised Crime, Globalisation and Terrorism Further Reading
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The development of the global movement of large groups of people, the development of illicit drugs markets, cheap international transport, global communications and payment systems have provided unlimited opportunities for organised crime. Similarly, the transition of terrorist activity from isolated regional conflicts to the international stage has been dependent on the use of the mechanisms of globalisation.
International Organised Crime is the 'dark side' of globalisation. It allows local forms of crime and disorder to access international markets and exploit the desire for illegal goods and services. However, this 21st century crime is not being challenged by 21st century crime prevention and reduction.
International Organised Crime Prevention - A Gap
Organised Crime prevention is by and large limited to national and international bodies identified in the links below. International organised crime will impact upon a local area but will rarely be identified as such and will normally only be dealt with by local crime prevention activities. So that what may be a regional push by organised crime to market an illicit narcotic will be seen at a local level as an increase in drug addiction - which may then be dealt with by the provision of additional rehabilitative services.
Over a decade ago local crime prevention was identified as more than just a local police activity. The establishment of Community Safety as a focused holistic approach to crime prevention and reduction needs to be applied to Organised Crime. If local partnerships and local services are to be proactive they will need to be supported by regional government's prioritising Organised Crime reduction and advising and guiding local services to produce a resilience to these new forms of crime; based upon information and activity.
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Organised Crime - General
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
This is the link to the comprehensive UN specialist mini-site for drugs and crime. UNODC is mandated to assist UN member states in their work against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism.
SOCA (Serious Organised Crime Agency)
SOCA is the UK government agency responsible for dealing with financial information concerning suspected proceeds of crime in order to counter money laundering.
Standing Group on Organised Crime
The Standing Group on Organised Crime is one of the European Consortium for Political Research standing groups. They aim to promote research in transnational organised crime across different disciplines.
The Organised Crime Task Force
The Organised Crime Task Force is a Northern Ireland forum where government, law enforcement and a wide range of other agencies set strategic priorities for tackling organised crime. It was created in September 2000 by the then Secretary of State to combat the growing problem of organised crime in Northern Ireland.
EUROPOL, the European Police Office
Europol is the European Law Enforcement Organisation which aims at improving the effectiveness and co-operation of the competent authorities in the Member States in preventing and combating terrorism, unlawful drug trafficking and other serious forms of international organised crime.
The European Anti-Fraud Office
The mission of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is to protect the financial interests of the European Union, to fight fraud, corruption and any other irregular activity, including misconduct within the European Institution
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