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STUDY OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN ILLINOIS

NCJ Number
11772
Author(s)
J P KORNFELD; R L EMRICH
Date Published
1971
Length
472 pages
Annotation
EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF THE NATURE, EXTENT AND IMPACT OF ORGANIZED CRIME, INCLUDING A PROPOSED THEORY, AND PROBLEMS IN PLANNING CONTROL EFFORTS.
Abstract
THE TECHNIQUES UTILIZED TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION FOR A MEANINGFUL AND ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN ILLINOIS WERE VARIED AND NUMEROUS. CITIZENS WERE INTERVIEWED IN THEIR HOMES, COURT RECORDS WERE REVIEWED, INNOVATIVE SURVEYS OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN AND IMPRESSIONS OF ORGANIZED CRIME WERE CONDUCTED, AND PERSONS HAVING KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD WERE INTERVIEWED. FINDINGS CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF ORGANIZED CRIME, THE CORRUPTION OF CERTAIN PUBLIC, BUSINESS AND LABOR OFFICIALS, CITIZEN AMBIVALENCE AND THE INEFFECTIVENESS OF ORDINARY POLICE WORK IN COMBATTING IT. LIKEWISE, FINDINGS INDICATE AN ENORMOUS ORGANIZED CRIME IMPACT, NOT ONLY FINANCIALLY AND IN THE CREATION OF A STATE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY AMONG CITIZENRY, BUT ALSO IN IMPAIRING THE IMAGE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SURVEY RESULTS ARE TABULATED THROUGHOUT THE REPORT. FOR THE PROJECT SUMMARY ALONE, SEE NCJ-11771. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)