Organized Crime Essay Example for Free

Organized Crime Essay Ever since the time that human beings began living in any form of community setting, it is likely that organized crime, albeit in a primitive form, was born. Today, organized crime is quite different than the stereotyped mobster of the days of Al Capone. With this evolution in mind, this essay will answer various questions about the modern face of organized crime. Why Does Organized Crime Still Exist? Organized crime still exists today for a variety of reasons, especially when the development of the modern world is taken into account. First, on the most basic level, the classic organized crime organizations still serve a vital function in every corner of the world as a means of managing drug trafficking, illegal gambling, prostitution and many more typical vices that represent profitable opportunities for the criminal enterprise. The complex nature of the political, technological, and economic world in the 21st century also lends itself very well to the proliferation of organized crime. For instance, the many global terrorist groups that are active at the present time are very well run organized crime groups (Washington Times, 2003). Technology, and its link to international commerce has also fostered present day organized crime; in a far cry from the days of â€Å"Murder Incorporated†, organized criminals today often use the Internet and related devices to commit what is called transactional crime, such as bank fraud, embezzlement, stock market swindles, and more (Punch, 2005). What are the Roles of Various Law Enforcement Agencies in Fighting Organized Crime? Traditionally, the various law enforcement agencies served the purpose of protecting the common good and to promote common decency by eradicating the vice and corruption that organized crime fueled. In most cases of localized organized crime, local or state police agencies were able to keep organized crime in check; in the extreme cases when organized crime was international in nature, world police organizations such as Interpol and the FBI got involved. Presently, however, due to the globally terroristic nature of organized crime, which represents as much of a threat to global security as it does to the quality of everyday life, organized crime has been challenged by the armed forces of the nations of the world (Olson, 1995). In these circumstances, world leaders have formed crime fighting alliances to act as a global police force to bring international organized criminals to justice (Fighting Organized Crime, 2000). What are the Challenges with Undercover Investigations in Organized Crime and the Use of Informants to Prosecute Organized Crime Figures? Undercover investigation, due to its very nature, poses its own unique challenges; the need for the undercover officer to maintain his or her assumed identity, effectively infiltrate criminal groups, and bring criminals to justice is perilous to say the least. When undercover investigation is employed in organized crime, a whole new realm of challenge and danger surfaces. To begin with, organized crime groups are typically tightly knit, making the introduction of a new person, especially one whose whole life was created as a work of fiction highly difficult. Once â€Å"inside†, the undercover officer must also maintain the identity at the peril of the investigation at least and their life at worst. Use of informants to prosecute organized crime figures is highly challenging as well; the reliability of the informant, who is of course a criminal, can make or break the investigation. Moreover, keeping that informant in place without being revealed as an informant is daunting and also risks the investigation and the life of the informant. Conclusion Organized crime is alive and well in many forms, given the complex nature of the modern world. As time goes by, fighting organized crime will become increasingly difficult, and the stakes will get higher and higher. World leaders and law enforcement must work together to make a difference.

Kidney Thieves Urban Legend :: Urban Legends

Losing Organs at a Party: The "Kidney Thieves" Legend and the Immigrant Experience My family, most being first generation immigrants, has at times a slightly negative view of American culture. Because of this, many of the family dinner conversations are about the differences between American and Iranian cultures and often how the Iranian culture is better in some ways. To support this theory many urban legends are brought up that show the â€Å"dark side† of the American culture. For example, when the family was gathered together for the Iranian new year, a version of the famous legend about the traveler who was drugged and robbed of his organs in a hotel room was told by a family member. It is important to note that he told the story in Farsi, which means that I am translating and not merely re-telling the story verbatim. The storyteller's version of the story was about an Iranian foreign exchange student who had recently come to the US. The story begins with the student, being alone in this country, going to a party he had heard of from other students. In the party, having had a few drinks, another â€Å"American thing† my family is against, he met a beautiful innocent girl who offered him a drink and asked to go to his place at the end of the night. The tone with which he described the girl was specially interesting, noting that even the innocent looking girls cannot be trusted. The story goes that the Iranian student did not remember anything from that point on until he woke up the next day in his bathtub covered with ice. There was also a note next to him telling him not to move and call 911. When the ambulance arrived at his apartment he was told that his kidney was removed and that he was not the first person this has happened to. To add to the accuracy and suspense of the story, the stor yteller, a physician, mentioned how the ice was used to keep the student’s body cold to prevent excessive blood loss and inflammation, which was essentially what kept him alive. After being discharged from the hospital for a few weeks with a missing kidney, a big hospital bill, and having fallen behind his studies, the student found out that there is an organized ring of organ thieves who specialize in lonely foreign students, who are as the storyteller sees it, more susceptible to being seduced by girls.

Italian Revolution(1830-1848) Essay

The three revolutionaries Giuseppe Garibaldi, Giuseppe Mazzini, and Count Camillo Benso di Cavour are the primary names associated with the process by which the many governments of the Italian peninsula came together as a unified kingdom. They all were pivotal in this unification process. In the years between 1830 and 1848 many events occurred in the country of Italy. The primary problems in Italy were a mix of economic depression, social clash, and radical ideas. Secret societies were formed, and because of this, many people were thrown in prison. However, being jailed did not stop or even hinder the revolutions, as the Italians were determined to reach their independence from the Austrians. Giuseppe Mazzini was always surrounded by political dissent, and the resentment against the German-speaking foreigners in Vienna whose armies crushed Italian aspirations toward self-government. At the young age of 21, Mazzini began to combine opposition to all existing governments, desire for political freedom, and Italian nationalism into one, unified cause. At this time he also decided to wear only black clothing in order to express his mourning over the loss of Italian freedoms. The turning point of his life and eventually, one can argue, the turning point of Italy occurred in 1830 when Mazzini joined the conspiratorial society of the Carbonari. The Carbonari was a loosely organized group of liberal and radical revolutionaries. In this group Mazzini attended illegal meetings, distributed banned newspapers, acquired weapons, and took part in riotous antigovernment demonstrations. Mazzini’s passion for Italy was essentially the driving force of his life. He was arrested and spent six months in a local fortress. During this time in solitude, he received his life’s calling; to devote his existence to the emancipation of Italy. He derived his motto â€Å"God and the People†. This motto was well thought out for many reasons. He actually believed that God had intended on all humans to find individual freedom. Secondly, the way to control the masses is to include God. If people believe they are fulfilling God’s virtues they will do almost anything. Mazzini asserted, â€Å"once all peoples had achieved political liberties and combined into national communities, they would pursue humanitarian goals and live in peace with one  another† (Watkins 824). He stated that the reason the secret societies did not thrive was because they focused too much on the individual rights and freedoms. He called on all Italians to emphasize the sacred duty to make Italy a single nation under one government. His basic premise was that nationalism was cooperation among all peoples, not competition (Watkins 825). Soon after his release from prison, Mazzini erected his own secret society, called Young Italy, or Giovanni Italia. He had only one goal; the unification of Italy under one republican government with civil and political freedom for all. Mazzini primarily recruited from the young, middle class. Much like his own background. He wrote hundreds of volumes of writing initiating propaganda for his troops. He stockpiled weapons, and prepared to fight with guerilla warfare (Watkins 824). However, government officials discovered Mazzini’s activities and the exiled him. He lived in Britain where his popular opinion favored his cause. He did not return to Italy until 1848 where he helped to instantiate the revolution of 1848. Although he was defeated by foreign troops, his thoughts lived on. The societies of Young Hungary, Young Germany, and Young Europe were created because of him. Many people argue that every revolution was because of this man. In 1848, Italy was widely considered one of the most democratic and liberal nations in all of Europe. Nevertheless, it was â€Å"under the suzerainty of a number of reactionary rulers† (Kauffman 848). The Kingdom of the two Sicilies was under the despotic king, Ferdinand II. The Papal States were under control of the pope, and the rule of Tuscany, Lombardy, and Venetia was profoundly under the influence of Austria. The only kingdom that had its own independence was that of Piedmont, ruled by Charles Albert. The roots of the Italian revolutions reach back to the Congress of Vienna and the restoration of the reactionary rule by which Austria dominated the peninsula. Metternich, the minister of Austrian foreign affairs, was the man who enforced the settlements that were reached during the Congress of Vienna. The unfinished revolutions of 1820 and 1830 showed that the public was not satisfied with the â€Å"arbitrary rule, censorship of the press, and the  secret police† (Sperber 52). Because of these harsh policies, secret societies like the Cabonari were generated, becoming the leaders in the movement for change. This movement was called â€Å"risorgimento†. Because of the clashing of propaganda and nationalist literature, a revolution seemed inevitable. On January 12, a revolution took place in Palermo Sicily. Since Ferdinand II was on the brim of defeat he granted a constitution that was modeled after the French Constitution. However, the conflict eventually turned from the cause of political constitutionalism to the cause of Italian unity. On April 29, 1848, Pope Pius IX officially disassociated himself with the nationalist war. This infuriated the public, saying that the pope betrayed the Italian cause. The first round of fighting ended when an under trained army was maliciously defeated in Milan. However, the pope’s betrayal resulted in anticlericalism in Rome. Pius IX was forced to flee from Italy and live in the Bourbon kingdom to the South (Sperber 98). Political confusion ended in Rome when Mazzini established a republican democracy in Rome. However, on August 28 Austrian troops entrenched in the cities of Lombardy and Venetia. Shortly thereafter, monarchial rule was reinstated into Italy. It appeared that the revolution would be left to a later generation to accomplish. The politicization of the Italian peoples during 1848 contributed to their success in achieving national unity a generation later. The national idea for Italy was the one concept that survived the defeats and disappointments of 1848.

The Department Of Homeland Security - 844 Words

Recommendations: The Department of Homeland Security do have grants available for its programs, however there is a need to know where the grants need to be channel to, for better productivity. As recommendation, there is a need to continue encouraging forums where intergovernmental agencies and the citizens can frequently have an open discussion such as media chats and possible quarterly live Television programs, there should be a day or a week in the year dedicated to Human Trafficking. Also a monthly magazine would be a good idea to collaborate into the awareness effort. September 2013, the Senate committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs under the chairmanship of Senator Thomas Carper organized intergovernmental relations and interagency hearing titled, â€Å"Combating Human Trafficking: Federal, State and Local Perspective†. This hearing brought together State Judge, Civil Right Attorney, School Teacher, Women advocacy activist, experts in various agencies to talk about how they are working on human trafficking at their different governmental level. The most importantly was to create awareness about the Blue Campaign on Human Trafficking. Engaging with all levels of government is a priority for the Blue Campaign. The Blue Campaign is pursuing partnerships with national associations representing state, local, tribal and territorial elected and appointed officials. In July 2013, DHS entered into a partnership agreement with the National Association of CountiesShow MoreRelatedThe Department Of Homeland Security : The Department Of Homeland Security755 Words   |  4 PagesThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) currently has a limited ability to persistently monitor, detect, and track, non-emitting vessels that operate in Customs Waters, which spans from the shore line out to 12 nautical miles. 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There’s a few methods used to identify these threats, but I’m going to cover just one of those methods in particularly. To better explain the role of risk management, first I’ll break down the steps of risk management and explain each one individually. After I have fully addressed the basics of risk management, I’ll go more in depth on why the DepartmentRead MoreThe Department Of Homeland Security Essay1380 Words   |  6 Pageshow does one calculate risk? The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has developed a risk management system to help address risks, primarily terrorism risks. It is important to realize that this is a system. Comprising this system of risk management are some key steps, such as the risk assessment and decision making. The overall risk management process employed by DHS is still in a stage of evolution and provides many areas of debate. 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