The first issue discussed in the book is the connection between organized crime and legitimate businesses, i.e., casino gambling, sports gambling, and white-collar crime. In the second section, the authors discuss how crime becomes organized, using case examples of a rural crime network, membership in organized street gangs, and the role of women in the Mafia to illustrate how criminal groups emerge under various conditions. The chapters comprising the third section examine the law enforcement response to organized crime, focusing on the use of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act and strategies to combat money laundering. The final section discusses two new areas in which organized crime is flourishing; in motor fuel tax frauds in the U.S., and in the economic chaos of Eastern and Central Europe. Chapter references