Transnational concepts and applications

Transnational crime has definitely evolved over the last few generations consistent with the trend of globalization. As information and resources more quickly crosses boarders, so does the potential for criminal acts that also transcend international boundaries. Globalization is a complex phenomenon that is often misunderstood. Part of this trend deals with a movement toward more integrated economic and political systems. Much of the globalization trend has been driven by technological innovations that allow for greater communication, information sharing, travel, which have worked making the Earth a seemingly smaller place in regards to the ability to reach out to other people across the globe. Many argue that consumers around the world benefit from globalization because they gain access to goods that they could not find in their domestically produced markets (Crump, 2006).

However, the trend of globalization has also brought new waves of organized crime that have found new niches for conducting illicit business. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) defines transnational organized crime as:

Transnational organized crime involves the planning and execution of illicit business ventures by groups or networks of individuals working in more than one country. [1, 2] These criminal groups use systematic violence and corruption to achieve their goals. [3] Crimes commonly include money laundering; human smuggling; cyber crime; and trafficking of humans, drugs, weapons, endangered species, body parts, or nuclear material (NIJ, 2007).

All of these activities have the potential to impact financial systems, governments, and people; both individually and collectively.

One of the recent developments in transnational crime has been the introduction of child pornography networks. One network, known as Dreamboard, has worked to promote the sexual abuse of children and the creation and dissemination of graphic images and videos of child sexual abuse throughout the world, announced by the Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley of the Western District of Louisiana and Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) John Morton (U.S. Deptartment of Justice, 2012). One man in Wisconsin received a life prison sentence for his involvement with this transnational criminal group.