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CONTROLLING ORGANIZED CRIME

NCJ Number
44460
Journal
POLIZEI AKTUELL Volume: 18 Dated: (1974) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Author(s)
H ZUEHLSDORF
Date Published
1974
Length
82 pages
Annotation
AN ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZED CRIME, ITS DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE, AND POSSIBLE CONTROL MEASURES IN THE U.S. ARE COMPARED WITH THOSE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY.
Abstract
A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF CRIME DEVELOPMENT, ITS CAUSES, AND POSSIBLE CONTROL MEASURES IN GERMANY LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: (1) CRIME AS A MASS PHENOMENON, (2) CONVENTIONAL CRIME, (3) PROFESSIONAL CRIME, AND (4) ORGANIZED CRIME. THE COMPARISON OF DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE OF CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY SHOWS THAT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE MAFIA OR COSA NOSTRA DO NOT EXIST IN GERMANY. THE MOTIVE OF ORGANIZED CRIME IS ACHIEVEMENT OF MATERIAL GAINS OR INFLUENCE IN PUBLIC LIFE. CRIMES INVOLVING ILLEGAL MATERIAL GAINS ARE ECONOMIC CRIMES, DRUG DEALING, FORGERY, CRIME AGAINST PROPERTY, AND CRIMES RELATED TO PROSTITUTION. FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. INCREASES IN ORGANIZED CRIME CAN ONLY BE FOUGHT EFFECTIVELY IF MEASURES ARE TAKEN EARLY AND GO TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. IN THE UNITED STATES THE FAILURE OF ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL ORGANIZED CRIME WAS CAUSED BY LATE RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM BY THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AND LACK OF COOPERATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES. ALSO, WHEN CONVICTIONS WERE OBTAINED, SENTENCES WERE TOO MILD. MISTAKES BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES AND BAD PUBLIC RELATIONS LED TO PRESS ATTACKS WHICH SLOWED DOWN POLICE WORK. THESE MISTAKES SHOULD BE AVOIDED TO PREVENT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC. PROGRAMS TO FIGHT ORGANIZED CRIME SHOULD BE STARTED. SPECIALIZED UNITS WITH ADEQUATE STAFFING SHOULD BE CREATED FOR EACH TYPE OF CRIME. INVESTIGATIVE UNITS SHOULD BE COMPLEMENTED BY EVALUATION AND INFORMATION UNITS TO ENSURE THE NECESSARY EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. IMPROVED COLLABORATION BETWEEN PROSECUTION, POLICE, TAX, AND CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES IS NEEDED. COOPERATION BETWEEN POLICE AND TRADE-LICENSING, CONCESSION-GRANTING, AND HEALTH-CONTROL AUTHORITIES SHOULD ALSO BE INTENSIFIED. PENAL LAW SHOULD PROVIDE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF LEAVING CRIMINALS UNPUNISHED IF THEY DIVULGE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF ORGANIZED CRIME. TABLES AND STATISTICS COVERING 1964-1973 AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. -- IN GERMAN. (ING)