Discussion – Organized Crime

Discussion – Organized Crime

Federal Laws That Combat Organized Crime

The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), passed in 1970, is an example of a federal law used to fight organized crime in the United States. Persons involved in activities such as bribery, illegal gambling, counterfeiting, money laundering, slavery, drug trafficking, and racketeering can be prosecuted and penalized through the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Racketeering is any threat or activity involving robbery, murder, extortion, arson, or dealing with controlled substances (Farve et al., 2020).

RICO’s Application to Domestic or International Organized Crime Groups

RICO can be described as the ‘hitman’ when it comes to prosecuting individuals associated with organized crime groups. Through RICO, the prosecution of individuals involved in organized crime groups is enhanced. This suggests that the government can go after the top leadership or the pawns in organized crime groups. In violation of RICO, an individual should have engaged in a series of racketeering activities closely associated with an organization or enterprise (Farve et al., 2020).

Codification Into the State Laws

Yes, RICO has been codified into the state laws. Ideally, a variety of offenses have been set forth at the federal and state levels involving racketeering activity. All the state statutes use the federal definition of an enterprise or organization (Farve et al., 2020).

Improving Major Federal Laws and Strategies to Combat Organized Crime

There are various ways through which federal laws and strategies to combine crime can be improved. They include taking shared responsibility when dealing with organized crime, strengthening interdiction, investigation, and prosecution activities, enhancing avenues used in sharing intelligence and information, and ensuring that the financial system and strategic markets are protected against organized crime enterprises (The White House: President Barrack Obama, 2011).

References

Farve, D., Nordstrom, B., Anspach, E., Floyd, S., & Swafford, T. (2020). Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations. Am. Crim. L. Rev., 57, 1191.

The White House: President Barrack Obama. (2011). Strategy to combat transnational organized crime. The White House. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/nsc/transnational-crime/strategy

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A variety of statutes have been enacted to fight organized crime at the federal level, such as RICO, which is a part of the Crime Control Act of 1970. Other statutes are designed to “follow the money,” such as the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 and the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, in order to obtain needed evidence against organized crime groups. There are many and various other federal laws that have been enacted to fight organized crime or enacted for another purpose but are being used to combat organized crime, such as the Patriot Act.

Organized Crime

Answer the following questions:
• What is an example of a federal law that combats organized crime?
• How does this law apply to domestic or international organized crime groups?
• Has this law been codified into the laws of your state? In what way?
• How may we improve major federal laws and strategies to combat organized crime? Explain your answer.