Organized Crime: Culture, Markets and Policies [electronic resource] /
Epstein, Richard L.,1947-
Siegel, Dina.editor.
Nelen, Hans.editor.
Complex interactions of economic, technological, political, and cultural factors have fed the rise of criminal networks worldwide. At the same time, global illegal activities depend on a world of social realities to function. Organized Crime moves beyond traditional concepts of "evil forces" corrupting their host societies, instead analyzing local, national, and international manifestations of organized crime in the situational contexts that aid in its development. The contributors provide up-to-date understanding of various aspects of organized crime, in both classic areas of research (drugs, sex trafficking, labor racketeering) and emerging areas of interest (diamond smuggling, money laundering, eco-crime), in locales as varied as Italy, Quebec, the Sinai, Bulgaria, and the world’s tropical rain forests. Topics are explored from a variety of perspectives, including sociology, criminology, political science, and anthropology, giving this book empirical breadth and depth rarely seen in the literature. A sampling of the topics: Symbolic and economic meanings of crime to cultures. The symbiotic relationships between legitimate and criminal activities. Ethical dilemmas of legitimate businesses with criminal clients. Marketing, problem-solving, recruitment: organizational models of criminal enterprises. Innovative law enforcement/administrative strategies for containing and preventing crime in the U.S. and across Europe. Scholars and researchers of organized crime as well as advanced students of criminology will welcome Organized Crime for coverage that is wide-ranging, comparative, and specific enough to match their interests.
Description based upon print version of record.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Criminal Groups and Activities -- Reflections on the Sicilian Mafia: Peripheries and Their Impact on Centres -- The Decline of the Italian Mafia -- Hashish Smuggling by Bedouin in South Sinai -- Corruption as a Causal Factor in Human Trafficking -- New Players in an Old Game: The Sex Market in Italy -- The Vehicle Theft Market in Bulgaria -- Diamonds and Organized Crime:The Case of Antwerp -- Eco-Crime: The Tropical Timber Trade -- The Role of Hawala Bankers in the Transfer of Proceeds from Organised Crime -- Facilitating Organized Crime: The Role of Lawyers and Notaries -- Law Enforcement -- Criminal Conflicts and Collective Violence: Biker-Related Account Settlements in Quebec, 1994–2001 -- Controlling Human Smuggling in the Netherlands: How the Smuggling of Human Beings Was Transformed into a Serious Criminal Offence -- The Civil RICO Law as the Decisive Weapon in Combating Labour Racketeering -- Recent Anti-Mafi a Strategies: The Italian Experience -- Breaking the Power of Organized Crime? The Administrative Approach in Amsterdam.
Complex interactions of economic, technological, political, and cultural factors have fed the rise of criminal networks worldwide. At the same time, global illegal activities depend on a world of social realities to function. Organized Crime moves beyond traditional concepts of "evil forces" corrupting their host societies, instead analyzing local, national, and international manifestations of organized crime in the situational contexts that aid in its development. The contributors provide up-to-date understanding of various aspects of organized crime, in both classic areas of research (drugs, sex trafficking, labor racketeering) and emerging areas of interest (diamond smuggling, money laundering, eco-crime), in locales as varied as Italy, Quebec, the Sinai, Bulgaria, and the world’s tropical rain forests. Topics are explored from a variety of perspectives, including sociology, criminology, political science, and anthropology, giving this book empirical breadth and depth rarely seen in the literature. A sampling of the topics: Symbolic and economic meanings of crime to cultures. The symbiotic relationships between legitimate and criminal activities. Ethical dilemmas of legitimate businesses with criminal clients. Marketing, problem-solving, recruitment: organizational models of criminal enterprises. Innovative law enforcement/administrative strategies for containing and preventing crime in the U.S. and across Europe. Scholars and researchers of organized crime as well as advanced students of criminology will welcome Organized Crime for coverage that is wide-ranging, comparative, and specific enough to match their interests.
Criminology.
Political science.
Criminology and Criminal Justice, general.
Political Science.
Studies of Organized Crime