Symptoms of Organized Crime

Citizens tolerate so much organized crime because they are not actually aware of its form or magnitude, and when they are aware of its existence, they are not concerned because they do not know how it affects them. The direct link of criminal activity to organized crime is difficult to show and almost impossible to prove. To show the symptoms of organized crime, it is necessary to (1) identify the need for exposure, (2) determine if organized crime is a myth or a reality, and (3) show how the evolution of the criminal syndicates has caused them to be entrenched in our society.

THE NEED FOR EXPOSES

A major factor in the growth of the crimes controlled by the confederation is the lack of knowledge on the part of the citizen and the local police of­ficer that criminal activity exists in their community. Activities of the con­federations are so covert it is impossible to detect them in casual inquiry or in a normal police investigation. In many cases, this information becomes known only years after an investigation has ended, and in such devious ways that it would be impossible to prosecute the criminal. Some of the most ef­fective ways for a citizen to know about specific criminal activity is through the exposes of crusading newspapers, television, or other methods such as Senate investigation subcommittee publicity, federal grand jury investiga­tions, and open public inquiries such as the Valachi hearings. Frequently, these are carried out only to the extent that they do not expose clients, friends of clients, and so-called responsible members of the community. Obviously there is need for an informed public, and some effort should be made to see that crime commissions, crime prevention committees, and other citizen groups organize and operate effectively to make the crime picture known. The crime commission and other citizen groups will probably not bring about a concerted effort against organized crime, so the most effective device may be newspaper and television exposes.

There is danger in the expose because a city in which the expose is made is cited as the bad example. Citizens of other cities fail to realize the same situation exists within the confines of their metropolitan area. Some law enforcement agencies are satisfied in letting the public believe that an individual under investigation is the only culprit. Most city officials think it is better for a community if the expose is made in a far removed city.

Even though exposes emanate from local informers, local grand jury hearings, or from investigations developed from within the police depart­ment, it is safe to say that organized crime of any nature is not a local mat­ter. An expose in New York, Chicago, or Miami would find its equal in Los Angeles, Seattle, or Las Vegas. The only differences would be the degree of infiltration, the political temperament at the moment, the vested interests of those making the exposes, and geographic location.

It is amazing how many citizens, judges, police chiefs, and other public officials are surprised when an expose is made in their community. It is even more ironic when the criminal justice administration of a major city states that its city does not have an organized crime problem.3 Prostitutes do not have to be walking the streets, nor does each back room of the local taverns need a "bookmaker's layout" for a city to have organized crime. The degree of coordination between courts and enforcement agencies and the corruptive influences of the local political parties are ways in which organized crime may exist.

Variant # 11 „Н”

ORGANIZED CRIME: MYTH OR REALITY

Some law enforcement officials still maintain that organized criminal ac­tivity is a myth. The structure of the organization is not a formal hierarchy as we normally picture a giant corporation, but it is an offshoot of about 24 main families in the United States, plus other groups.

During the 1980s, other organized criminal groups gained power. These groups consist of lucrative drug cartels, ethnic gangs, and political splinter groups. For example, in California, Mexican gangs alone accounted for 800 murders during the 1980s. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean organized groups have taken up extortion and blackmail activities similar to those of the Italians and Irish of the early 1900s. Even the Dixie Mafia continues to operate with success. In black neighborhoods, black criminals control the rackets through affiliation with confederation-controlled services. In 1987, the federal prosecutor for Manhattan was criticized when he booked Wall Street figures for fraud. The "Miami Vice" tactics of rushing in and handcuffing respected members of the financial community shook the stock market.

Organized crime extends far beyond the boundaries of traditional criminal activities, so the cases cited here may be considered only a sample of the overall activities of confederated criminal groups. In organized crime, a dramatic transition is taking place because crime leaders are attempting to move the organizations from activities in illegal enterprises such as nar­cotic smuggling to lucrative areas of the legitimate business sector.

Data from several sources indicate that stronger federal efforts are needed in the fight against organized crime. The very nature of the confederations makes most known methods of control difficult to im­plement. Most of the criminals who are in control of organized crime ac­tivities in the large cities take great care to conceal evidence of their connections. Public officials and businessmen are frequently involved with confederation activities without any knowledge of their affiliation.

If organized crime is going to be effectively suppressed, efforts must be directed toward the upper echelons of the organization. The very nature of the structure makes it almost impossible for the local officer to be suc­cessful in gathering evidence for more than petty prosecutions.

There are a number of reasons why local control is likely to be ineffec­tive in the control of organized crime. The procedures for investigation are unlike those for a regular crime. The police operator is frequently the only effective technique through whicha crime can be solved. This is dangerous and too expensive for local units of government. The investigations into organized crime activities are frequentlyconducted over longer periods of time than other investigations. Local cities cannot afford to sustain these investigations.

Undercover operators need funds for extensive investigations. At the local level, these funds are not usually adequate.

Leaders of the syndicates tend to split operations between cities and states, so a complete picture of the operation is unknown to the local officer. Participating criminals will frequently transfer personnel, thus causing local officers to lose contact with both the violator and the informer. There is a great overlapping into legitimate businesses, and local laws are not adequate to cover borderline cases.

The crime leaders are so closely affiliated with local politicians that the local officer, if he becomes overly ambitious, finds himself transferred to assignments where he does not come in contact with organized crime. The lack of wide jurisdiction for local police agencies brings about limitations. Investigation cannot in many cases extend beyond the city limits. The failure to impose available sanctions through licensing and permits at state and local levels results in less crime control.

     Failure of the legislature to make adequate laws limits enforcement action. Failure of the courts to enforce existing laws rigidly encourages crime. The dismal lack of public concern toward such crimes is one of the most signifi­cant reasons.

Variant # 12 „О”

THE EVOLUTION OF THE CRIMINAL CONFEDERATIONS

In the past, law enforcement agencies were able to recognize participants in the so-called rackets. Because those participants identified with socially unacceptable behavior, by choice, they were alienated from the mainstream of American society. Gradually, the social acceptability of such activities as bootlegging, bookmaking. and legalized gambling has brought about a new attitude toward the racketeers and has made them a part of community life. Social acceptability of quasi-legal activities and the desire to expand the economic base of the organization have brought the confederations into legitimate enterprises. The dispersion of the criminal element into legitimate enterprises has created covert confederations so powerful that no law en­forcement agency can cope with them.