Organized Crime - Intro/Conclusion

Organized crime is among the more pervasive forms of criminal disobedience and inundates all levels of society with the nefarious malefaction inherent to the rackets. At the same time, it is also among the most successful, leaving the government and police little authority to combat the lawlessness so protected by the personal liberties, freedoms, and protections granted all Americans by the Constitution. From Tammany Hall to historic Chicago and modern-day Manhattan, public safety advocates have proffered a wealth of suggestions to mount the offense against organized crime. Some call for the addition or more police forces, prisons, and tighter laws, wagering the strength of law enforcement against the torment. Others rebuke the suggestion as reactionary, calling for a more accurate understanding of the nature of the organized crime and its relationship with legitimate institutions, which might be better regulated to modulate the impact of the lawless groups. Yet, still others find both solutions inadequate standing alone, but see promise melding them together with existing practices of deterrence.

The 1970 passing of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations by Congress (RICO, Title 18, USC Sec. 1961-1968) was the first successful attempt from Washington to eliminate the vices and repercussions of organized crime on the economy. Intended to destroy the Mafia, RICO follows the patterned activity of old criminal families' illicit proceedings, including extortion, bribery, loan sharking, murder, drug sales, and prostitution among others. At the same time, the act played on the psychological state of the criminals, providing legal incentive for their cooperation under the law as the greater crime rings were brought down. While seemingly successful early on, the changing nature of crime could not be captured under RICO, demanding a new approach by law enforcement to counteract the social destruction of organized crime. By learning more about the nature of organized crime and their interactions with legal institutions, all businesses, citizens, and civic organizations, an increased police presence and secured word of law, law enforcement will be able to pose a viable threat to the criminal rings, targeting their non-static nature in policy, practice, presence, and prison.