Civil RICO may be used to attack political and business corruption and to some extent, organized crime. However, above all, RICO provides State and local governments and agencies an additional method of fulfilling their constitutional, statutory, and moral duty to protect their citizens. Among the alleged activities for which treble damage actions have been brought by governmental entities are fraudulent operation of a major insurance carrier, fraudulent corporate reorganization of a public utility, bid-rigging by public officials, and bribery by a major foreign cable company. The article addresses the public advantages of State and local government using civil RICO and discusses several frequently asked questions concerning the statute's interpretation and application. Finally, it addresses problems which might arise from the indiscriminate use of civil RICO by State and local authorities. A total of 131 notes are provided.