NCJ Number
12635
Date Published
1972
Length
127 pages
Annotation
SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE OF CRIMINAL GROUPS AS ONGOING ORGANIZATIONS WITH WELL-DEFINED ROLES AND IDENTITIES WHICH SURVIVE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR PROPOSES SIX BASIC CATEGORIES OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS AS A START TOWARDS WHAT HE FEELS IS A MUCH NEEDED LARGE-SCALE EFFORT BY SOCIAL SCIENTISTS AND OTHER SPECIALISTS TO UNDERSTAND THE BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED, ORGANIZED AND PROFESSIONAL CRIMINAL GROUPS. THE SIX CATEGORIES DIFFER ACCORDING TO THEIR DEGREE OF FORMALITY OR RATIONALITY, I.E., THE DEGREE TO WHICH AN ORGANIZATION IS STRUCTURED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACHIEVING COLLECTIVE AIMS, IN THIS CASE CRIMINAL ACTS. THIS STRUCTURE IS DETERMINED BY THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF CERTAIN FUNCTIONAL ROLES. THE AUTHOR DEFINES THE ROLES OF COMMISSIONER, CORRUPTER, CORRUPTEE, ENFORCER, STRATEGIST, TACTICIAN, AND GUIDE, AND GIVES ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES FROM CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.