Orison :  Organized Crime and Criminal Investigation week 4 discussion 1

Respond to the following questions:

• What are the attributes of an organized crime group?
• What is R.I.C.O.?  What types of groups have been prosecuted under R.I.C.O.?
• How are criminal investigations of organized crime different from that of other criminal investigations?  How are they similar?  
• What are unique attributes of investigating organized crime?

Our discussion first, then there answer need to tell the bad and good of post. thanks

family group ran by an older male with a set structure where the higher ranking members get respect no matter how they treat people. If you are not family or a friend of the family you do not get in and generally you are of the same ethnic background. Organized crime families are a very loyal group that takes care of its own and lasts through death or incarceration of its leaders.  They are often involved in illegal crime such as drugs, gambling, loan sharking, influencing labor unions and things of that nature.

 RICO is Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act This allows law enforcement to go after the group as a whole rather than the individuals involved.  The Italian mob and Irish mob along with several motorcycle gangs have all had run ins with the RICO act. With organized crime the investigators must take all of the smaller crimes and link them so that they can all be put together and the whole organization can be taken down.

 To take down an organized crime cell multiple agencies will need to work together both federal and local LEO’s will need to share information and play nice in order to take down the whole group. This is difficult as most agencies and officers for the matter do not want to share information out of fear that someone else will get the credit. Our ego is often the biggest enemy of officers.