Criminology

Organized crime in the United States has a long, checkered history, just as it does around the world. When one studies criminology, it is important to note organized crime, as this is one of the most complicated and diverse crime types in existence. Additionally, it relates to the global nature of the study of criminology, as organized crime in America has many of its roots in organized crime around the world. Though the idea of organized crime is something that most people are only exposed to in the movies or in television, it is actually a real thing that can come in many different types. Gangs represent an element of organized crime in the United States, and La Cosa Nostra also has a very real presence around the country. Though organized crime is more often than not something that takes place beneath the headlines, its impact can be felt in a wide range of different industries.

When talking about organized crime, one must start with La Cosa Nostra, which to laymen is The Mafia. Though most folks only hear about this in films like The Godfather, the mafia actually has a presence throughout the United States and it has a hand in a number of industries. These days, it is more refined and it is mostly an economic powerhouse, whereas in the past, the mafia has been a more violent thing. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, this is still the top organized crime threat in the United States and it did not have much competition for that top spot. The FBIs website states, La Cosa Nostra is the foremost organized criminal threat to American society.

Literally translated into English it means this thing of ours. It is a nationwide alliance of criminalslinked by blood ties or through conspiracydedicated to pursuing crime and protecting its members. La Cosa Nostra, or the LCN as it is known by the FBI, consists of different families or groups that are generally arranged geographically and engaged in significant and organized racketeering activity. It is also known as the Mafia, a term used to describe other organized crime groups (FBI). This mafia presence is the strongest in the northeast, where it retains Italian immigrant roots. Places like New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Boston are homes to some of the worlds foremost organized criminal minds, and the leaders of the powerful families make their home in these places.

Speaking of the mafia in the United States, one must understand what their enterprising is all about. These days, they control certain industries and this is where most of their power comes from. In the northeast and around the United States, they control the gambling industry, the loan sharking industry, and a host of other seedy dealings. These groups typically get in on racketeering rings and they will sell protection for the right price, as well. Arms trafficking and drug trafficking play a role for many of these individuals, but this is a more high stakes game that they will play very carefully. They do this in order to avoid public scrutiny, as todays mafia is truly all about staying under the radar. To that same point, the mafia in the United States has stated objectives that include staying away from those crimes that might attract the public eye. According to a book written by Pino Arlacchi, this has become the new mode of operation for La Cosa Nostra in the United States.

According to his work, Mafia Business The Mafia ethic and spirit of capitalism, mafia members are instructed to stay away from things like kidnapping and they are excepted to avoid petty crimes like theft or burglary (Arlacchi). This is because, even though the mafia is one of the purveyors of crime in the United States, it sees itself as something above that. It is a group that is only interested in going out and committing crimes that involve an element of smarts and wit. This is one of the tenets of the Italian Mafia that has always set it apart from other organized crime groups, and it has had a practical implication, as well.

Though the United States government is well aware of the mafia and its involvement in crimes around the country, it is difficult to pin any of these crimes on individuals and fingering the whole organization because difficult, too. As such, the government certainly does not leave the mafia alone, but it does not go after them as vehemently as one might imagine. Because the crimes are mostly done in private and they do not attract the attention of the media or the public at large, the government does not feel the need to step in and act immediately to put a stop to the dealings. This has been a strategically smart move by the mafia members, and it has helped them sustain criminal activity for decades in the United States.

When one studies criminology, its important to look at causes and motivations for different kinds of crimes. This is one of those times when the causes and the motivations for crimes are important, as it truly defines what organized crime in America is all about. It has grown and evolved over time to be more than just a criminal effort. Organized crime defines entire families and entire communities in the United States, both within the mafia and in other groups that might be easily described as organized criminals. In trying to slow down the growth of organized crime, criminologists have to look at these motivations and understand that, at this point, the is engrained into the different communities and their culture. It becomes a large problem, as children are raised to take part in it. Crime becomes the norm, while following the law would be the thing that would be considered strange in many of the communities around the country where organized crime is so prevalent.

One would be remiss if the focus on organized crime in America stopped with the Italian mafia, since there are so many other groups that make up organized crime around the country. The Russian Mafia, for instance, has a presence that is very real, even if it is less advertised. In his book, Russian Mafia in America, James O. Fickenauer writes about how the mafia efforts in Russia are more advanced than could ever be imagined by those in the United States. He does indicate, however, that an organized Russian Mafia in the United States is not nearly as strong as its presence in Russia, and that media creations sometimes overrate this fact (Fickenauer). Still, one of the interesting things that can be taken from this is that there is sometimes cultural bleed-over that takes place from one country to another. Because the Mafia is such a key, integral part of Russian society, those people who come to America from Russia often take part in crimes, just because it is what they know. These crimes by Russian immigrants get a lot of attention, but few individuals make the connection between the Russian immigrant crime and the existence of crime in their homeland that shapes their actions. This is another portion of the organized crime sector in the United States where one can see that it is culturally engrained. With organized crime, the acts being committed are a part of something much bigger than just racketeering or loan sharking. They are a way of life, which is especially troubling for those who seek to put an end to organized criminal activity.

In all, organized crime in the United States has many different centers where it has taken a strong hold. In addition to the mafia centers mentioned, there are gang controlled areas across the country, in places like Los Angeles and even places like Memphis, Tennessee. Organized crime is much more than just a bunch of acts that are coordinated by a leader, though. It is a sub-culture of its own, which is why it is so important to the study of criminology. The crime becomes a way for people to come together and identify with each other, whether one is talking about the actual mafia or the gangs that make their living in this way. Additional, the crime becomes how entire communities make a name for themselves and how they set themselves apart. This is especially troubling for criminologists, and it is something that has been studied extensively by those who work with police forces.