Organized crime in the USA

Organized crime may be defined as systematically unlawful activity for profit on a city-wide, interstate, and even international scale. Criminal organizations keep their illegal operations secret, and members confer by word of mouth. Gangs sometimes become sufficiently systematic to be called organized. The act of engaging in criminal activity as a structured group is referred to in the United States as racketeering.

A criminal organization depends in part on support from the society in which it exists. Therefore, it is frequently expedient for it to compromise some of society's upright members — especially people in the judiciary, police forces, and legislature — through bribery, blackmail, and the cultivation of mutually dependent relationships with legitimate businesses. Also, as these organizations grow so does the number of those in need of a drug treatment center. Thus a racket is integrated into lawful society, shielded by corrupted law officers and politicians — and legal counsel. Its revenue comes from narcotics trafficking, extortion, gambling and prostitution, among others.

Criminal organizations sometimes arise in closely knit immigrant groups, not trusting the local police and other authorities. The Mafia, also known as La Cosa Nostra (Our Thing), or the Mob, is the name of several clandestine organizations in Sicily and the United States. Midway through the 20th century, Mafia influence crested in the United States. Investigations, conducted by FBI in the 1970s and 1980s, somewhat blunted the Mafia's power.

The term "mafia" has been generalized to label any sizable group involved in racketeering, such as the Russian Mafia or the Japanese Yakuza. When formally applied, however, "Mafia" refers to the traditional Sicilian/American crime families.

Задание 2: найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний.

Занятие преступной деятельностью, взяточничество, шантаж, центр лечения от наркотической зависимости, торговля наркотиками, азартные игры, власть, расследование.

Задание 3: дайте ответы на вопросы к тексту.

1. What type of activity is referred to as an organized crime?

2. In what way can society back up organized crime?

3. Enumerate the sources of criminal income.

4. In what environment do criminal organizations arise?

5. Name the most well-known organized groups.

Задание 4: поставьте вопросы всех типов к данному предложению.

A criminal organization depends in part on support from the society.

Задание 5: раскройте скобки, употребляя необходимую видо-временную форму глагола.

1. Last month the President (to have) the meeting on domestic affairs attended by the number of top officials. 2. Since 1911 the Parliament Act (to restrict) the life of the House of Commons. 3. Electoral law (to divide) the United Kingdom into 650 constituencies. 4. The committee still (to discuss) the bill. 5. Only by the beginning of the 20^th century the actual evidence of the strength of the British labour movement (to appear).

Задание 6: переведите предложения из активного залога в пассивный.

1.The officers will write the report in a terrible hurry. 2. The judge of the Supreme Court is being appointed at the moment. 3. The Committee has already examined the results of the meeting of the heads of the states. 4. Somebody was following him in the empty street. 5. The magistrates issued the warrant to arrest the killer.

Задание 7: переведите юридические термины. Составьте собственные предложения с 5 из них.

Задание 8: подставьте модальные глаголы had to, can, need, be to, must.

1.To be a candidate a person … n’t live in the area. 2. Every householder … enter on the register of electors. 3. During the cold war Europe … choose between another war and peaceful coexistence. 4. Each member of the General Assembly … vote only once. 5. We have the list of all residents who … vote.

VARIANT 8

Задание 1: прочитайте и переведите текст.