GENERIC TYPES OF ORGANIZED CRIME

1. Political graft- manned by political criminals who make use of force and violence to obtain profit, and
or achieving political aims and ambitions.
Example: Vote buying & embezzlement.
Embezzlement - when a person who has been entrusted with money or property appropriates it
for his or her own use and benefit.
Vote buying - occurs when a political party or candidate distributes money or resources in
exchange for the person’s vote.

2. The mercenary/ Predatory Organized crime - crimes committed by groups for direct personal profit
but prey upon willing victims.
Example: Racketeering – operation of illegal business for personal profit.
Loan sharking (private loans where the borrowers were charged excessive interest rates, such
as 10% per week)

3. In- group oriented organized crime- groups manned by semi- organized individual whose major
goals are for psychological gratification such as adolescent gangs.
Example: motorcycle gangs involved in drug trafficking, gunrunning.

4. Syndicated crime- the organization that participates in illicit activity in society by the use of force,
threat or intimidation. The groups with the formal structure- whose purpose is to provide elicit services,
which are in strong public demand through the use of secrecy on the part of the associates. There is an
assurance of the protection necessary for its operations through political corruption or avoidance of
prosecution.

MODELS OF ORGANIZED CRIME

 The Bureaucratic/ Corporate Model
- the mode of organization that is essential for efficiently carrying out large scale tasks.
The corporation, the police and the military are examples of bureaucracies.
Attributes of Bureaucracies
 are complicated hierarchies
 employ an extensive division of labor
 assign position on the basis of skill
 are guided by extensive rules and regulations
 communicate from top to button, usually in written form

 The Patrimonial/ Patron- client networks

- it is the characteristics of traditional societies that centers on families, patrons and their clients and other
personalities networks.
They fear of compromised communication makes the bureaucratic model impractical for Organized crime.
As a result:
 Face to face interaction/ transaction are typical
 Span of control
 Control is problematic
 Decentralized control is advantageous for both business and security reason
 Patrimonial networks characterize most American Mafia Group
ORGANIZED CRIME - A combination of two or more persons who are engaged in a criminal or virtual criminal
activity on a continuing basis for the purpose of profit or power using gangland style to attain their purpose.

Attributes of Organized Crimes

1. No Political Goals. An organized crime group is not motivated by social doctrine, political beliefs, or
ideological concerns; its goals are money and power. Even though political involvement may be part of
the group's activities, the purpose is usually to gain protection and immunity for its illegal activities.

2. Hierarchical. An organized crime group has a vertical power structure with at least three permanent
ranks—not just a leader and followers-each with the authority over the level beneath. The authority is
inherent in the position and does not defend on who happened to be occupying it at any given time.

3. Limited exclusive membership. An or organized crime group significantly limits membership.

Qualification may be based on ethnic background, kinship, race, criminal record or similar
consideration. Those who meet the basic qualification(s) for membership usually require a sponsor,
typically a ranking member, and must also prove qualified for membership by their behavior—for
example, willingness to commit criminal acts, obey rules, follow orders and maintain secrets.

4. Constitutes a unique subculture. Sometimes referred to as the "underworld," members of organized

crime view themselves as distinct from conventional society, which they frequently view with derision if
not contempt, and therefore not subject to its rules.

5. Perpetuates itself. An organized crime group constitute an ongoing criminal conspiracy designed to
persist through time; that is beyond the life of the current membership. Permanence is assumed by the
members, and this provides an important basis for attracting qualifies persons to the group, those
perpetuating the group's existence.

6. Use of Violence. Access to private violence is an important dimension that allows the group to actively
pursue its goals. When necessary, the organized crime group will resort to bribery to protect its
operations or members. The use of violence or bribery is not restricted by ethical considerations but,
rather, is not controlled only by practical limitations.

7. Specialization/division of labor. An organized crime group will have certain functional position filed by
qualified members. Given the nature of an organized crime group, the position of enforcer has obtained
crucial. This person carries out difficult assignments involving the use of violence including murder in a
rational manner. The enforcer may use members or non-members to accomplish the assignment; he
may also turn over assignments for murder to specialists.

8. Monopolistic. An organized crime group eschews competition. It strives for hegemony over a
particular geographic area (a metropolitan area or section of a city), a particular “industry," legitimate or
illegitimate (for example, gambling, trucking, loan sharking), or a combination of both (for example, loan
sharking in a particular area or the wholesale cocaine market in a city). An organized crime monopoly is
maintained by violence, by the threat of violence, or by corrupt relationships with law enforcement
official.

9. Governed by rules and regulations. An organized crime group, like a legitimate organization has a
set of rules and regulations that members are expected to follow.