11 Characteristics 

of organised crime
Organised crime has following important characteristics (Cf. Caldwell,
1956: 73-74):
1. Team work:
It involves association of a group of criminals which is relatively
permanent and may even last decades.

2. Hierarchical structure:
It has a structure with grades of authority from the lowest to the highest,
involving a system of specifically defined relationships with mutual
obligations and privileges.
3. Planning:
It involves advance arrangements for successfully committing crimes,
minimising risks and insuring safety and protection.
4. Centralised authority:
It functions on the basis of centralised control and authority which is
vested either in the hands of one individual or a few members.
5. Reserved fund:
It maintains a reserve fund from profits which serves as capital for
criminal enterprises, seeking help of the police, lawyers and even
politicians, and for providing security to the arrested members and their
families.
6. Specialisation:
Some groups specialise in just one crime while some others may be
simultaneously engaged in multiple crimes. Those groups which are
engaged in multiple crimes are more powerful and influential.
7. Division of labour:
Organised crime involves delegation of duties and responsibilities and
specialisation of functions.
8. Violence:
It depends upon use of force and violence to commit crimes and to
maintain internal discipline and restrain external competition.
9. Monopoly:
It has expansive and monopolistic tendencies. Initially, organised
criminal gangs operate in a limited area, and are engaged in a limited
type of crime with a limited number of persons, but, gradually they
expand into a wider range of activities extended over large geographical
areas, involving a large number of carefully selected criminals.
In whatever area they operate, they secure monopoly in their criminal
enterprises. They do not hesitate to use violence or threats of violence to
eliminate competition.
10. Protective measures:
It arranges permanent protection against interference from law-
enforcement authorities and other agencies of government.
The protective measures include contacts with policemen, lawyers,
doctors, politicians, judges, and influential persons in society.
Giving money in cash or in gifts, providing help in elections, threatening
their competitors, and arranging their (influential persons) foreign trips
are some of the methods used by these gangs to secure protection and
avoid arrest and conviction.
11. Conduct norms:
It frames rules of conduct, policies of administration, and methods of
operation for members and for the operation of crime.
This helps in maintaining discipline, efficiency, loyalty, obedience, and
mutual confidence. Penalties are imposed for violating rules.
Reasons for Organized Crime

Model 1

Political Conditions: Weak State

Implications:

1. Opportunities for organized crime to develop with little interference.

2. Role of organized crime as substitute for protective and regulatory functions of the state.

Result to anticipate:

Organized crime can flourish and use the state as a home base

Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of opium[5] and in 2001, Afghanistan was the source of 87% of
the world's illicit opium.[1] 80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from opium produced in
Afghanistan.[5] According to Antonio Maria Costa "drugs are now a clear and present danger" in
Afghanistan.[6] According to a survey in 2007 by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 93% of the
opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan.[7]

Model 2

Political Conditions: Strong state becoming weak

Implications: Initial incubation then expansion of power of organized crime as state loses power

Result to anticipate: States in transition particularly vulnerable to organized crime inhibiting progress
toward Democracy, rule of Law, and the free market.

দেশে হঠাৎ সোনা চোরাচালান বেড়েছে। চলতি বছর কিছুটা নিয়ন্ত্রণে থাকলেও বছর শেষে গত কয়েকদিনে ব্যাপক আটক
হয়েছে অবৈধ পথে আসা সোনা। এ বছর ৩৪ কোটি টাকা দামের ৬৯ কেজির বেশি সোনা আটক করে শুল্ক গোয়েন্দা।
সংস্থাটি বিগত ৪ বছরে ১৩১ জন আসামিসহ মোট ১ হাজার ৬৫ কেজি ৭২৬ গ্রাম সোনা আটক করে। এই সোনার দাম
৫০১ কোটি ৭ লাখ ৪৫ হাজার টাকা। দুবাইয়ের চেয়ে বাংলাদেশে সোনার (২৪ ক্যারেট) দামে ভরিতে চার হাজার টাকা বেশি
পড়ে; আর ভারতে ১০ হাজার টাকা। দুবাই থেকে এক কেজি সোনা ঢাকায় আনতে পারলে লাভ হয় চার লাখ টাকা। একই
পরিমাণ সোনা ভারতে নিতে পারলে লাভ হয় ১০ লাখ টাকা। এই লাভের লোভেই সোনা চোরাচালান বেড়ে গেছে। চালানের
বড় অংশই পাচার হয়ে যাচ্ছে ভারতে। সোনা আমদানির ব্যাপারে কোনো নীতিমালা না থাকায় চোরাকারবারিরা সুযোগটা
নিতে পারছে। দেশে চাহিদা মেটানোর বৈধ উপায়ের অভাব থাকায় সোনা ব্যবসায়ীরাও তাদের দ্বারস্থ হচ্ছে। শুল্ক গোয়েন্দা ও
পুলিশের গোয়েন্দা সংস্থাগুলো গোপন প্রতিবেদনে আরো বলেছে, ভারত থেকে ফেনসিডিলের যেসব চালান আসে সেসবের
বড় একটি অংশের মূল্য পরিশোধ করা হয় চোরাই সোনা দিয়ে। মাদক ও অস্ত্রের চালানের পাশাপাশি জঙ্গি অর্থায়নেও চোরাই
সোনা ব্যবহৃত হচ্ছে। 
Model 3

Political Conditions: States characterized by ethnic conflict, insurgency or terrorism.

Implications: Factions use criminal activities to fund their political struggle; and use embargoes as
opportunity for trafficking and profiteering.

To anticipate: Increase in organized crime, including violence, within the state and its neighbors. End of
conflict may lead to transformation of terrorist organizations into primarily criminal organizations.

Model 4

Political conditions: Strong democratic states with high levels of legitimacy, transparency, rule of Law.

Implications: Constant struggle between organized crime and law enforcement.

Result to anticipate: Organized crime provides illicit goods and seeks vulnerable economic sectors but
largely on the defensive.