Research on organized crime

Abstract

This paper presents the key issues of organized crime researched by famous criminologists (among others Landesco, Thrasher, Cressey, Smith, Albini, Talesse, Block, Chambliss, Albanese, Potter, Abadinsky, Kaiser, Savona, Paoli, von Lampe ...). They have had a decisive influence on the way we understand it today and allowed us to better understand the parts of a complex mosaic that it embodies. In that mosaic there is a place for poor people from the bottom of the social ladder who want to get rich ('to succeed in life') illegally and for unscrupulous extortionists and those who were pushed due to vice into the criminal network; there are also innocent victims and drug addicts who seek products and services without which they (seemingly) can not; in this conglomerate are police officers and other officials of the judiciary who paid with their own life the desire to eradicate this social evil and also their corrupt colleagues who serve criminal clans instead citizens; there are politicians who honestly advocate for combating organized crime, and those who have established modus vivendi in which both parties win; the part of the story are citizens intimidated by media sensationalism but who in the same time buy smuggled goods because it is cheaper; the picture would not be complete without the actors in the 'above-ground economy' who due to organized crime have huge losses but also the part of the legitimate business which cooperates with the criminal underground. Finally, in respect to states, some of them use a story of organized crime in order to introduce a complete control of citizens, the other to achieve geostrategic objectives, the third tolerate when it brings them benefit, the fourth are indirectly involved in its activities... However, it should be noted that despite all the efforts invested by many scientists and their research institutions, we still do not have complete knowledge on organized crime. Therefore, we are not able to give the answer to many questions (some are mentioned in this paper); organized crime in XXI century is therefore an open area for research that presents a real challenge for workers in social sciences. Much will depend on their ability to comprehend so far neglected aspects of this phenomenon and on their willingness to investigate in teams.