Organized Crime in the 21st Century: Motivations, Opportunities, and Constraints

This edited volume explores the latest research on organized crime and responses to it, focusing on criminal networking and illegal markets in the 21st century. It examines how these developments have influenced the motivations and opportunities for organized crime, including in legitimate industries. The contributions are from seminars at CIROC and will be of interest to scholars and researchers in the field.

Format: Hardback
Length: 238 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This edited volume brings together the most recent research about various aspects of organized crime and the responses that have developed worldwide to contain serious criminal acts. This book focuses particularly on the way criminal networking and illegal markets have developed during the first two decades of the 21st century. It examines how these developments have influenced the motivations and opportunities to commit organized crime. The volume not only focuses on illegal activities in illegal markets, such as drug and human trafficking, but also addresses organized crime and deviance in various legitimate industries. The contributions were presented at seminars of the Centre for Information and Research on Organized Crime (CIROC), and will be of particular interest to organized crime scholars and researchers, as well as advanced students of criminology across the world.

Organized crime is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has been a significant concern for governments and societies around the world. This edited volume brings together the most recent research on various aspects of organized crime, including its origins, structures, activities, and responses.

The first section of the book explores the historical and theoretical perspectives on organized crime, providing an understanding of the factors that contribute to its development and persistence. It examines the role of social, economic, and political factors in shaping organized crime, as well as the various theories and models that have been proposed to explain it.

The second section of the book focuses on the specific activities of organized crime, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, extortion, and cybercrime. It examines the methods used by organized criminals to exploit vulnerable populations and the impact of these activities on individuals, communities, and governments.

The third section of the book examines the responses to organized crime, including law enforcement, prosecution, and prevention strategies. It explores the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in detecting and disrupting organized crime, as well as the strategies used by prosecutors to bring organized criminals to justice.

The final section of the book examines the international dimension of organized crime, including the cross-border nature of many of its activities and the challenges faced by governments in combating it. It examines the role of international organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank, in promoting international cooperation and developing policies to address organized crime.

Overall, this edited volume provides a comprehensive and up-to-date examination of organized crime, its origins, structures, activities, and responses. It is an essential resource for scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners interested in understanding and addressing this complex phenomenon.

Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031215759
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023