NCJ Number
185855
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2000 Pages: 365-385
Editor(s)
George E. Rush Ph.D.
Date Published
November 2000
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Transnational organized crime presents interesting dilemmas for Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies in the United States; the most significant problems facing law enforcement agencies concern both the nature of transnational organized criminal activity which often closely resembles white collar crime and the structure of relationships between law enforcement agencies as they attempt to combat complex economic crime across jurisdictions.
Abstract
Problems posed by transnational organized crime are discussed in terms of two central components, harm and complexity. Harm entails both the injury caused by the act and the intent of the actor. Although many factors are involved in complexity, the discussion focuses on organizational, technological, and spatial and temporal complexity. A first step in addressing transnational organized crime requires a thorough understanding of the technology of offending and the nature of and mechanisms for reducing regulatory conflict between law enforcement agencies at the various levels of government. Sources of regulatory conflict are examined that emphasize two sources of conflict in interagency relationships: (1) structural arrangement that characterizes regulation and enforcement; and (2) role of boundary personnel and factors that lead to patterns of relationships found between agencies. The author concludes that the most significant issues posed by transnational organized crime are inherent in the nature of the criminal activity and the structure of interagency relationships that arise to combat that activity. He identifies areas for future research on core problems facing law enforcement agencies in the area of transnational organized crime. 27 references