Comparison of Four Crimes

¶ … Crime is everywhere. People commit a variety of crimes for a variety of reasons. Four of some of the biggest and longstanding crimes people commit are human trafficking, drug trafficking, organized crime, and corruption. These crimes often go hand-in-hand; they do not exist without the other. Therefore, they will have various similarities. They will also have some differences. One major difference is the scope and scale some crimes have like human trafficking. Drug trafficking although international, tends to have specific destinations and routes.

Human trafficking however exists everywhere and the routes can span from three to four countries or more as a country may serve as a pick up point, a transfer point, a departure point, and an entry point. It is a huge way people fuel criminal organizations and is usually the least prosecuted compared to drug trafficking. Some countries like the Ukraine barely prosecute those who have been found guilty of human trafficking. Why is human trafficking so lucrative? Drug traffickers face more competition and thus lower profits.

This is especially true with countries that have legalized marijuana. People need free laborers and prostitutes so human trafficking was and remains more lucrative. "Many other forms of crime have therefore expanded as criminals exploited the possibilities of global trade" (Natarajan, 2011, p. 5). However, one thing that all four criminal activities share in common is its proliferation. Thanks to email, online sites, anonymous web surfing, and BitCoin, criminal activity has increased as criminals find secure and speedy ways to connect with other criminals and criminal organizations and make higher profits.

This is especially the case for drug traffickers. "Drug traffickers can use encryption to provide security for their messages concerning their business operations. Informal financial transfers can be made without a trace, aided by instant messages on computers" (Natarajan, 2011, p. 5). All of the money that comes from organized crime that includes human and drug trafficking usually leads to corruption of government officials and businesses thanks to bribery and acquisition of property.

However, corruption also exists because of migrant groups and often leads to increased rates of other crimes like drug trafficking as witnessed in Mexico. "Recent studies link specific migrant groups to transnational criminal activities, such as drug smuggling, weapons running, trafficking of women and children, corruption, extortion, and so forth" Mexico has organized crime in the form of corrupted government officials, corrupted police force, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. Unlike the other criminal activities, organized crime can be seen by some as more legitimate and long-term.

The mafia in the United States for example, has those within that live off the profit gained from their criminal activities for decades and even go into legal employment afterward. Organized crime has been directly linked with terrorism as those involved in criminal organizations fund terrorist activities. This was experienced in the Middle East with Isis. Slowly Isis worked its way through countries like Iraq and Afghanistan from money gained from organized crime. Organized crime proliferates human and drug trafficking and fuels corruption.

It is often the epicenter of crime and crime related activities. Organized crime and human trafficking are so inherently linked that policies have been modified to protect again such crimes. "Moreover, they have been incorporated in several UN conventions such as the Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the protocol against human trafficking" (Natarajan, 2011, p. 35). People do not see at times the connection and the potential for money making human trafficking has over other forms of crime. How it may provide capital to fuel corruption within governments.

Crime requires money in order to continue. There needs to be a reason why crime proliferates. People perform illegal activities because they feel that is their only way to gain money, power, and resources. Organized crime is the culmination of human trafficking, drug trafficking, and corruption. While all these crimes together provide money and power to criminals, they also provide resources at different quantities and ratios. Drug trafficking, especially in recent times, brings the least amount of money. However, it is easy to do and simpler than human trafficking.

Human trafficking brings in the highest profits, while also taking a lot of coordination and communication to continue. It is through human trafficking that criminal organizations have a foothold into politics and the government. Today, organized crime has become a major threat to security and development. Frequently considered the "dark side" of globalization, international.