Social Organized Crime Perspective Paper

Social Organized Crime Perspective Paper

Dajuan Turner

CJA/384

August 11, 2013

Patrick Cote

Social Organized Crime Perspective Paper

Throughout the past two centuries organized crime has dictated an abundance of federal and state law enforcement revenue and manpower to combat against a domestic and international threat operating like a deadly virus. In many instances, most criminal enterprises through the use of advanced technology, have created barriers both domestically and internationally making interaction almost unrecognizable to law enforcement. Criminologist and law enforcement have noticed the significant strides organized crime has accomplished in comprising themselves into a social institution.

In this paper crime will be analyzed from a social institution standpoint and discuss theories that explain organized crime functions within the society.

Social Institution

Social institution refers to a group of people of association that has a particular mission or goal and accomplishes this by recruiting and influencing others of a particular community to help carry out these goals. Social institution applies to criminal organizations in a various ways and present unlimited opportunities for malicious activity. Criminal organizations develop in areas that show a portion of individuals living within the jurisdiction are interested in a product that the criminal organization is offering. This is crucial as it enables the organization to effectively generate, dispense, and consume the product (Lyman & Potter, 2007). In addition, organized crime focuses on community’s social structure as it exercises control on its members and influence participation to remain protected and to dwell in the organizations rewards. Furthermore, criminal organization do form close relations with legitimate businesses and owners willing to participate a successful alliance with an organization (Lyman & Potter, 2007). Theories help explain why organized crime syndicates are connected to different communities and regions and how society can resist the urge to develop thoughts about indulging in these criminal activities.

The Alien Conspiracy Theory

The alien conspiracy theory states that outsiders and their influences are to blame for the prevalence of organized crime within the United States. It is supported by the Sicilian Mafia who transplanted their criminal culture when they migrated to the United States (Mallory, 2007, p. 34). The prominence of the Sicily immigrants’ migration into the United States, was so that they could take advantage of the numerous opportunities that America had to offer