300 word discussion response: Attributes of Organized Crime & Terrorism CMRJ524_Rondi | Homework Essay Helpers

Can you help me understand this Political Science question?

Response should be a “minimum” of 300 words each (does not count references and or restating what a classmate said) and include “at least” one properly referenced source each (in accordance with APA 6th edition), for full credit. This can be an opinion, follow-up question, discussion, remark, argument, or agreement about what was stated. Remember to stay professional in your postings. You are free to disagree or agree with something that someone has said, but you must clearly show why. Discuss how you feel their postings relate or are different from your own. Feel free to debate points, and hold a discussion.

Respond to Rondi:

1: List and briefly discuss eight attributes of Organized Crime (OC). Then justify which of the two attributes that you feel are the “most important” as it regards OC being successful. Be sure to fully support your view/opinion.

There are multiple attributes of Organized Crime, they include the following:

“Organizational structure, organizational goals, Culture, Illicit activities, open activities in the legitimate economy, use of violence, money laundering, and the use of corruption” (Shelly & Picarelli, 2005).

Organizational structure, organized crime families have a hierarchy structure, with one person who is in charge of the family. It could be considered similar to a chain of command in the military or law enforcement, as there are different positions that have different levels of authority.

Organizational goals, the main goal is raising money in order to sustain operations.

Culture, in organized crime families, the culture is generally “shared ethnicities, languages and religions” (Shelly & Picarelli, 2005).

Illicit activity, it is what they do, they commit various crimes. This also includes doing things that the general public finds immoral.

Open activities in the legitimate economy, participation in the running of any legitimate business, such as a restaurant or dry cleaners. This gives the appearance of them operating within the law and comes in handy for money laundering.

Use of violence, various murders and other violent acts; for example, against those who would move to utilize the law against the family.

Money laundering, is a very common characteristic of an organized crime family or syndicate. Money laundering is when a criminal enterprise takes money gained illegally and “cleans” it through a bank or another legitimate business.

Use of corruption, crime families exploit officials who are corrupt and use them for their positions for their benefit. These officials can be, but are not limited to law enforcement, the judicial system or someone having a political affiliation.

The two attributes I find most important for the success of an organized crime family are their ability to make use of corrupt officials and illicit activities. When a crime family uses corrupt officials the right way, it can open and keep open many doors that benefit the family. These benefits can range from keeping members of the family out of prison or jail by throwing a case, officials looking the other way all together, gaining information that is important to the family, prevention of other families “taking over” in an area of interest, and guards in jails and prisons who look out for members who are incarcerated – such as looking the other way, phone calls, and getting them “things”.

Organized crime is explicitly involved in illicit activities. It is their main source of income or revenue. There are many different ways for these organizations to make money. Some ways include drugs, gambling, prostitution, arms smuggling, financial crimes, and extortion. If the family does not have money, they cease to exist. Therefore, money would need to be at the top of the list of importance.

Shelley, L. I., & Picarelli, J. T. (2005). Methods and motives: Exploring links between transnational organized crime and international terrorism. Trends in Organized Crime, 9(2), 52-67. doi: http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy1.apus.edu/10.1007/s12117-005-1024-x

2: Investigate and then report on how terrorism differs from organized crime. As part of your response, include the ways they overlap? Pls make sure to provide real life referenced examples that illustrate and help support your view here.

By definition terrorism is different than organized crime. Terrorism is an act committed to instill fear for a political goal. Organized crime generally has nothing to do with any specific political goals. According to Teirila (2014), terrorists are mainly concerned with political change and organized crime is mainly concerned with making money through their illegal actions. Another difference between organized crime and terrorists is their behavior. Organized crime would rather not bring attention to themselves (NATO Review, 2009). Whereas terrorists love attention and recognition (NATO Review, 2009).

That being said there are some similarities between terrorism and organized crime concerning the way they function and operate. Both organizations use many of the same tactics such as intimidation, murder, and illicit activities during the conduct of the business. According to NATO Review (2009), “they also share activities, personnel, skills and interests”. They both have an interest in money, control of territory and what happens in their territory for example. Both groups conduct many different kinds of illegal activities and do not limit themselves to one or two. The use of modern technologies for communication and financial transactions are also shared. They are both taking advantage of the globalization of some areas.

One real life example that illustrates the differences between organized crime and terrorists is media coverage. We generally hear about terrorist activities immediately on the news, Facebook, Twitter or other social media. When there is a professional hit by an organized crime family, we may hear about a murder, however not hear anything about their connection until someone is indicted. For example, according to Kearns, Betus & Lemieux (2019), “Terror attacks carried out by Muslims receive on average 357 percent more media coverage than those committed by other groups”. Clearly, the media loves to tell everyone about a bomb explosion or anytime people are killed a terror attack. It is unfortunate, but death and horror sell and nice stories about a fireman saving a kitten up a tree do not.

A survey of 20 senior police managers was conducted in Canada in 2002 and they were asked about media coverage of organized crime and if it effects their activities or operations (Dubois, 2002). The survey found that while the managers felt that media coverage was adequate, however, over a third of them felt non-violent crimes committed by organized crime was not covered enough (Dubois, 2002). There are murders and other violent activities committed by organized crime, however, much of their crime is non-violent and therefore does not receive the attention some feel it deserves.

Dubois, J. (2002). Media coverage of organized crime: Police managers survey. National Criminal Justice Reference Service, (7)4, 29-54. https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=207593

Kearns, E., Betus, A. & Lemieux, A. (2019). Why do some terrorist attacks receive more media attention than others? Justice Quarterly, (36)6, 985-1022, DOI: 10.1080/07418825.2018.1524507

NATO Review. (2009). Organized crime and terrorist groups: comrades or chameleons? Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGmMHZn-zH8

Terrorism. (2019). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved October 9, 2019 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terrorism

LO-1. Examine individual attributes of organized crime
LO-4. Deconstruct how terrorism differs from organized crime

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