1st Edition

Transnational Organized Crime

Edited By Margaret E. Beare Copyright 2013

    This selection of influential articles traces our evolving understanding of transnational organized crime - paradigm shifts - from the 'alien conspiracy' focused research to the more nuanced focused scholarship on 'markets' and 'networks', culminating in a focus on 'enablers' of transnational crimes and evaluations of 'harm' from transnational crimes. The selected essays and articles reflect the way in which politics, economics and social factors have impacted on scholarly thinking and the introduction also highlights the many authors and professionals who have been influential in this field. This volume is an essential ’one-stop’ resource for lecturers and students interested in all aspects of transnational organized crime.

    Contents: Introduction; Part I Introduction: The interdisciplinary dimensions of the study of organized crime, Klaus von Lampe. Part II Ethnicity, Illegal Enterprises and Upward Mobility: Crime as an American way of life: a queer ladder of social mobility, Daniel Bell; Strategic decision making in organized crime control: the need for a broadened perspective, Edwin H. Stier and Peter R. Richards. Part III Criminal Organizations as ’Alien Conspiracy’: Transnational organized crime: the strange career of an American concept, Michael Woodiwiss. Part IV Business Crime Versus Organized Crime or Business Crimes As Organized Crime: Paragons, pariahs, and pirates: a spectrum-based theory of enterprise, Dwight C. Smith. Part V RICO and Debates Pertaining to the Structure and Purpose of Criminal Groups: Symposium Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act: debunking RICO’s myriad myths, G. Robert Blakey; A comparative analysis of organised crime conspiracy legislation and practice and their relevance to England and Wales, Michael Levi and Alaster Smith. Part VI Refinements: 'Less Organized' Criminal Operations and a Focus on Protection/Extortion: The economic consequences of product illegality, Peter Reuter; Research on upper level drug trafficking: a review, Frederick Desroches; Conspiracy among the many: the Mafia in legitimate industries, Diego Gambetta and Peter Reuter; New York City as organized crime fighter, James B. Jacobs and Alex Hortis; The paradoxes of organized crime, Letizia Paoli. Part VII Networks and Analysis: The Teamsters, the White House and the Labor Department, Alan A. Block and Sean Patrick Griffin; Assessing network patterns in illegal firearm markets, Carlo Morselli; Fixers, super fixers and shadow facilitators: how networks connect, Douglas Farah; Illuminating dark networks: a social network analysis of an Australian drug trafficking syndicate, David A. Bright, Caitlin E. Hughes and Jenny Chalmers. Part VIII Markets: The rise of two dru

    Biography

    Margaret E. Beare is Professor in the Osgoode Hall Law School and the Department of Sociology at York University, Canada.