Deck 36: International Organized Crime

Question 1

Throughout the world criminal organizations' scope of action and range of capabilities are undergoing profound change; all of the following are working to their advantage EXCEPT

A) declines in political order
B) deteriorating economic conditions
C) a largely ineffective United Nations
D) a massive flow of emigrants and refugees

Answer 1

a largely ineffective United Nations

Question 2

The rise of better-organized, internationally based criminal groups is creating

A) a new threat to the stability and security of the international system.
B) a new opportunity for the world community to demonstrate its supremacy over crime.
C) a huge incentive for piracy throughout the shipping waters of the world.
D) a new threat to local crime syndicates who will eventually have to go out of business, or merge into and be controlled by the new international gangs.

Answer 2

a new threat to the stability and security of the international system.

Question 3

All of the following features distinguish a criminal organization from regular criminal activity, from a legitimate business enterprise, or from economic activity in underground or informal economies EXCEPT

A) the activities may or may not be criminal, such as engaging in the normal activities of the illegal, informal economy.
B) the criminals involved in the crime must be organized.
C) such groups have a family or ethnic base such as the Chinese Triads, Sicilian Mafia, Japanese Yakuza, etc.
D) their underlying purpose is to profit from illegal acts.

Answer 3

the activities may or may not be criminal, such as engaging in the normal activities of the illegal, informal economy.

Question 4

Which of the following correctly identifies three new characteristics of international organized crime?

A) Blurring between formal and informal economic activity; global nature of traditional criminal activity; growth of transnational links between criminal organizations
B) Global nature of traditional criminal activity; growth of transnational links between criminal organizations; greater use of computer networks and the Internet to foster criminal links and activities
C) Growth of transnational links between criminal organizations; growing ability of international to threaten the stability of nations; global nature of traditional criminal activity
D) Greater use of computer networks and the Internet to foster criminal links and activities; blurring between formal and informal economic activity; global nature of traditional criminal activity

Question 5

A number of environmental factors support the international criminal organizations (ICOs) growing ability to challenge individual states; these include all of the following EXCEPT

A) weak governments without the will or resources to cope with the rich and powerful ICOs.
B) fantastic sums of money generated by illegal activities (drugs especially) enabling them to employ bribery or violence.
C) take advantage of the new global travel and movement of large numbers of people around the world giving a recruitment base.
D) a new cultural tolerance around the globe more favorable toward ICOs especially for the illegal goods or service they provide such as drugs or prostitution.

Question 6

The new international criminal organizations (ICOs) differ sharply from traditional local and domestic crime groups

A) they are organized for and engage in large-scale criminal activity across international boundaries
B) they are organized around a more centralized leadership and rigid command structure that enables them to act and respond quickly as needed
C) they use bribery and corruption as an exclusive feature of their modus operandi
D) they emerge primarily in countries that have a nationalistic, revolutionary movement directed against the government

Question 7

The new international criminal organizations (ICOs) enjoy many advantages over traditional local crime groups, including all of the following EXCEPT

A) their global networks provide mobility and flexibility to respond quickly to law enforcement efforts.
B) their transnational links with insurgents and terrorists enables cooperative relationships over share interests.
C) a major focus on land with banking and real estate, on the one hand, and control of international shipping on the sea to ensure transportation of illegal contraband.
D) a challenge to political authority as evidenced by the Medellin Cartel in the 1990s and today in Mexico with the drug cartels.

Question 8

All of the following factors suggest that international criminal organizations (ICOs) are likely to expand in the future EXCEPT

A) economics of production and free trade across borders
B) declining ability of many governments to govern such as the Andes and Amazon regions of Latin America
C) trends in technology that eases modern communication making it fast and secure beyond the ability of law enforcement to intercept and monitor
D) new high speed forms of transportation across land, air and sea that make it possible to ship human and material resources more quickly and to evade detection

Question 9

Describe how according to Godson and Olson's paper on international organized crime criminal organizations' scope of action and range of capabilities throughout the world are undergoing profound change by explaining three new characteristics of international organized crime (ICOs) and how they differ sharply from traditional local and domestic crime groups.

Question 10

Describe the features, according to Godson and Olson, that distinguish a criminal organization from regular criminal activity, from a legitimate business enterprise, or from economic activity in underground or informal economies. Do you agree that, taken collectively, these new international crime organizations (ICOs) represent a major and significant threat? Can you think of any ways in which these organizations' activities could impact you, personally, now or in the near future?

Question 11

Describe and discuss (1) the environmental factors enabling international criminal organizations (ICOs) growing ability to challenge individual states; (2) some of the advantages they enjoy over traditional local crime groups. What factors are likely to contribute to their (ICOs) expansion in the future? Do you believe the threat I is likely to have to get much worse before a more concerted global law enforcement effort is made to deal with ICOs-why or why not?