Assignment: Analyze Organized Crime Groups and Their Members

Activity Description

Organized crime groups attract specific types of individuals, which helps to define the make-up of the groups. The groups can change, as with the Hell's Angels, which originally started as a motorcycle club for military veterans but then morphed into something else altogether because of the PEOPLE that were attracted to the club. In this paper, you will discuss the theories behind the formation of organized crime groups and then compare the differences among groups.

Prepare a paper with answers to the following questions:

• What is organized crime and how it can be distinguished from other groups involved in criminal activity?

• What role, if any, has politics played in the success and growth of organized crime?

• What theories of criminal BEHAVIOR lend themselves to the organized crime structure and its continuous existence?

Support your paper with a minimum of three scholarly resources in addition to your text. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Length: 5-7 pages not including title and reference pages

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Academic Integrity Policy.

Learning Outcomes

1. Compare and contrast the basic tenets of organized crime with other criminal activity.
2. Assess the power and influence of American organized crime groups within and its impact on the current political system.
3. Analyze the various theories of criminal BEHAVIOR that lend themselves to the organized crime structure.

Book:

Albanese, J. S. (2011). Organized crime in OUR TIMES . 6th ed. Burlington, MA Anderson Publishing. ISBN: 9781437744538