Policy Development Paper: Organized Crime

Organized Crime
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Organized Crime
Organized Crime refers to crime which is well planned and strategized with high intelligence employed. Organized crime often takes place across borders of various countries thus at an international level. There are myriad of crimes that fall in the category of organized crime. It has continued to be a thorny issue with the international community like United Nations intervening in an attempt to find a way forward to end this menace (Margaret, 2013). Organized crime has been said to undermine democracies whose resulting effect is to threaten to impair economic growth. This discussion takes an analytical look at various aspects of organized crime including the statistics, factual information and public opinion. The discussion will also tackle various ways in which the menace can be dealt with. The various ways in which corruption has led to the rise of organized crime and also how organized crimes leads to corruption will be examined in this discussion.
Organized crime is a complex phenomenon and in many cases dependent on the political developments, economic growth and social changes of a country (Jordan, 2009). Changes in politics globally have affected organized crime both by restraining its operations and also providing a favorable climate for it to thrive. As a result, the manner in which organized crime is conducted has constantly changed. The expansion of trade into a global market has opened up new opportunities that are well known and that have played a key role in facilitating of transnational organized crimes (Wilker & Austin, 2010). The political environment, social structure and development of the economical aspect play a determinant role in organized crime.
Corruption by and large does contribute to the existence of transnational organized crime. This is normally through a collaboration of corrupt officials in the government and gangs that are involved in organized crime. It is through corruption that these gangs are offered protection by corrupt officials within the government circles so that their operations are concealed. Through this form of protection these gangs are able to influence political decisions and as a result there is infiltration of legitimate businesses and structures belonging to the state (Jordan, 2009). According to research conducted over the years, the extent to which these two vices (organized crime and corruption) are linked remains unclear.
However, through years of observation and studies there is evidence supporting the relationship between the two citing heavy dependency between them (Margaret, 2013). As already mentioned, for organized crime gangs to operate; they need legitimate structures of the state so as to avoid any suspicion as to the nature of their activities. It is through corruption that illicit goods and drugs are smuggled into or from a country without such activities getting to be known by the general public.
Corruption of public officials including those in the law enforcement enables gangs in organized crimes to operate without fear of arrests and prosecution. Noticeably, massive bribery takes place at the borders to the custom officials so as to allow transit of illegal goo...