Organized Crime Within the United States
...mong criminals. First are causal relationships, “which serve to introduce individuals to each other and into joint criminal ventures,” the other being criminal relationships, which are “based on a common core of activity in crime” (Ianni 1998). According to Ianni, there are six types of causal relationships within the networks of organized crime. The first relationship stems from childhood bonds in which the individuals were of the same race and socioeconomic background. The second segue into organized crime comes from the recruitment of talented young boys. There is also a high amount of involvement in organized crime that stems from past prison acquaintances. Although infrequent, the fourth type of causal relationship is with wives and lovers that have been known to take part in organized crime. Next are kinship ties, which are also capable of fostering criminal relationships. The last and most common type of causal relationship is between partners who are in complementary business positions. Ianni contends that the strengths of each of these causal relationships is due to the fact that each is “marked by a sense of mutual trust in the personal characters of those within the relationship” (Ianni 1998). Although no two groups of organized criminals are exactly alike, many share a common framework and acknowledge one another as suppliers of a demanded “Mafioso” protection (Nelken 1995). Overall, there are two widely used analogies when analyzing organized crime: the quasi-government analogy and the firm analogy. The quasi-government analogy stems from the fact that “the core business of criminal organizations is to make the rules in given territories (be they geographical or functional) so that they can extort money (“taxes”) and impose their own regulations on legal and/or illegal businesses” (“Theories of the Firm” 1996). The firm analogy is founded on the assumption that criminal organizations are involved in different markets and face competition (from other criminal groups) within those markets. “One way to minimize such competition (and maintain a monopoly position) is to invest in weapons and hit-men who will physically deter potential entrants to the market” (“Theories of the Firm” 1996). Organized criminals will typically form relationships with legitimate businesses in order to have a safe front for their illegal activities. It is believed that organized crime actually has more similarities to legitimate economic activities that most would like to admit (Nelken 1995). Like legitimate businesses, criminal groups develop codes to oversee their relationship with the non-criminal world (Ianni 1998). Because of these factors, many have raised questions as to whether organized criminals recognize themselves as criminals, or whether they are merely attempting to achieve the American dream of prosperity by providing a “genuine service” (Nelken 1995). Another factor that allows organized crime to exist and thrive is the link between criminal groups and politicians. Politicians can ultimately benefit from ties with organized crime by “paralyzing the hand of the law” in order to receive “campaign contributions, organization work, votes at election time” and the ability to participate “in the profits of the company” (Tyler 52). Organized criminals have also been known to intimidate and influence police officials (Anechiarico, 1998). This is not to say that all law enforcement officers and politicians work side by side with the mafia. On the contrary, many actions have been taken by both groups in a collaborative effort to eliminate organized crime. The Organized Crime and Racketeering Section (OCRS) is a government department that solely focuses on organized crime. This department comes into collaboration with investigative agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and by working with the attorney general’s organized crime council (http://www.usdoj.gov/careers/oapm/lab/litigation/crm.html 2000). The government is now auditing individuals more frequently with an “intense concentration on corruption control” that expands and articulates the definition of corruption (Anechiario 1998). Anechiario (1998) goes on to explain that the government regulates the economic life of public employees and their immediate families to ensure that they have no ties to organized crime. One article states that once ties with politicians are severed, the government should take it one step further by cutting subsidies and public procurement programs to minimize what organized criminals can “appropriate and dole out” (Theories of the Firm 1996). In 1980, congress enacted the Racketeer Influenced a...