NCJ Number
147131
Journal
European Journal of Criminal Policy and Research Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (1993) Pages: 57-76
Date Published
1993
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Studies of criminal organization should be concerned first with how criminal markets are organized and what factors influence their development, and second, with the technical, social, and financial barriers that obstruct greater development of intra- and international crime.
Abstract
There are contrasts within Europe in the forms of criminal enterprise. In Italy, a weak central government has shaped the form of organized crime there, while in most other European countries, crime is primarily conducted on a local level and is not organized in the sense of being orchestrated by a criminal syndicate. There are, however, small-scale networks specializing in systematic corruption of police and officials, smuggling, toxic waste dumping, fraud, and drug trafficking. Following an outline of cross-border crime statistics, this article reviews types of enterprise crime and their intent, focusing on securities fraud, dumping of toxic waste, European Community fraud, value-added tax (VAT) fraud, other frauds against corporations, credit and check fraud, car and other vehicle theft, art and antiques theft, and drug trafficking. The most likely areas for pan-European cooperation are terrorism, drug offenses, and money laundering. 18 references