Organized Crime

Catalog description

This course examines the historical roots of organized crime and its current role within the American criminal justice system. Structural models are compared for understanding emerging groups. Special attention is paid to dependencies and cooperation among ethnic groups as well. Additionally, there will be a review of the activities associated with organized strategic aspects (i.e. profit-oriented ventures such as extortion, credit card fraud, counterfeiting, prostitution, drug trafficking, smuggling) and tactical issues (i.e. activities that support the criminal organization such as money laundering, violence, corruption, and recruitment).