Assignment Instructions -
The research will address one of the following five topics:
1. Terrorism and Organized Crime: Similarities and Differences (Connected to Course Learning Objective #4, i.e., Report on how terrorism differs from organized crime).
2. History of Organized Crime in the U.S. (Connection to several Course Learning Objectives #2. Assess organized crime's ability to continue flourishing through the application of sociological and criminological theory; #3 Interpret the historical and socio-political patterns of organized crime in the United States; #6 Compare the origins, characteristics, and national makeup of Asian Crime and Russian organized crime groups, #7. Separate traits and characteristics of the two main Italian Mafia groups, that is, the well-known Cosa Nostra and the newer Calabrian ''Ndrangheta; and #8. Scrutinize major organized crime statutes, such as the Harrison Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), and Prohibition).
3. Explaining Organized Crime Through the Lens of Rational Choice Theory, or another sociological and or criminological criminal justice theory of your choice. (Connected to Course Learning Objective #2, i.e., Assess Transnational Organized Crime's ability to continue flourishing through the application of criminological theory).
4. Which Poses the Biggest Threat to the U.S....Russian or Asian Organized Crime? (Connected to Course Learning Objective #6. Compare the origins, characteristics, and national makeup of Asian Crime and Russian organized crime groups).
5. A topic of interest to the student, which is fully related to this course, and approved in advance by the instructor. Note: Any proposed topic must be shown to directly connect to one of the course learning objectives identified in the syllabus.
This paper must have at least 10 references from primary sources, for example the weekly readings, peer-reviewed journals, etc. Use of newspapers, news magazines, and similar periodicals must be kept to a minimum but a fine for background material. Students are encouraged to use the APUS online library in order to utilize peer-reviewed journals to the maximum extent possible.