Organized crime participants are master manipulators and can easily instill fear in the citizens within the area. This fear is often times enough to keep innocent people quiet when being questioned by law enforcement. This practice has helped organized crime not only survive but evolve within the United States. In addition, when the criminal group has the assistance of local law enforcement and judicial officials, it becomes common for a criminal case to end in a dismissal. In conclusion, it can be said that crime and politics have existed in America for decades, Money, and power are both present in crime and politics.
Instead of an estimated decrease in violence, crime and alcohol consumption, it led to an increase in at least violence and crime. When people could not gain access to alcohol the way they were used to, they had to find an alternate source. This led to a huge black market for alcohol and the start for one of America's most infamous gangsters: Al Capone. The alcohol supplied was however no longer produced under legitimate supervision, and had often been spiked with poison and chemicals, which led to an increase in deaths from alcoholic poisoning. The huge black market for alcohol controlled by crime organizations grew so large that many of the criminal groups were able to build their empires mainly on profits from illegal alcohol.
Racial Bias in the Media Despite historic and continued efforts to overcome racial tension within our nation, in today’s culture we are constantly bombarded with prejudice and discriminatory images and ideas. When turning on the news and glancing through the pages of a local newspaper, ethnic minorities are the central focus of crime stories and are portrayed as the prime source of crime in our nation. Victims of criminal acts who are of an ethnic minority are rarely featured, as Caucasian victims claim the spotlight in the media. This results in racial profiling and racial profiling in the media is a growing concern. According to various media professionals, racial bias is very common.
The media portray criminals and victims as older and more middle class than those found typically in the criminal justice system. Felson (1998) calls this the age fallacy. Media coverage exaggerates police success in clearing up cases. This is partly because the police are a major source of crime stories and want to present themselves in a good light and partly because the media over represent violent crime which has higher clear up rates than property crime. The media exaggerate the risk of victimisation especially to women, higher status individuals and whites.
In chapter five of Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice, Pollock states when one asks most people what the role of policing is in society, the response is some version of “catch criminals” or “fight crime”. (p.105) The majority of police officers are professional and ethical; however a small minority abuses their power. This leads to close suspicion by the public of all police. Police have great power in our society to arrest, use force and also have the power of life and death. Police have two types of perceptions of the police mission, either a crime fighter or public servant.
There is a large profit that can result from drug trafficking, which could be one of the reasons behind the crime not always being viewed under a zero tolerance policy. The global crimes that have become some of the largest issues previously mentioned always make the implication that some sort of organized crime has occurred or is occurring. A problem that arises when organized crimes occur is that there are often “crooked” police officers who handle the law unfairly among certain suspects or criminals. Another issue in drug trafficking is that sometimes, groups of organized crimes all link to a business or business people. One other issue for drug and human trafficking crimes is border security and safety.
City Demographics and Crime Profile Heide M. Banks, Shayla Blair, Neil Lammons, Daniel Stevens, Maria Torres AJS/542 April 14, 2014 Marcela Morales Abstract The effects of crime are serious for a society. Unfortunately, most cities and towns in the United States experience some form of illicit behavior by their citizens. Information concerning the number of vandalisms, burglaries, assaults, and murders of an area can sway prospective buyers from purchasing homes or businesses from settling in a select community. Some believe that urban areas struggle with higher crime rates than suburban areas. Historically, crowded, low-income neighborhoods were thought of as crime capitals.
“The negative portray of ethnic minority youths in the media is not, however, simply or solely due to, misguided stereotypes and sensationalist reporting. There is a material basis for at least some of the public concerns expressed, albeit in distorted and partial form through the mass media. This is especially so when it comes to certain types of street violence” Mass media definitely play’s a major role on a child’s decision, mainly because they don’t know any better and just are too young to understand. Hypothesis in addition will reduce gang violence. Gang violence is responsible for nearly one-third of the homicides in the country on a yearly basis.
At the end of the day, social disorganization meets the measures of organized crime, it is totally not for the usual beliefs and set values by the public through the predominant law liberated for the safety of individual’s right or freedom. Unlawful behavior is commonly exist within the environment of social disorganization and finally street gangs possibly will develop as groups that will possibly have fundamental have connections with corrupt officers leading to their economic, social and governmental power. Because of those fundamental ins and outs, without a doubt the social disorganization for example in the circumstance of gang culture ultimately meets the standards for organized crime. In reality, it is evolution significantly completes the accomplishment of those measures. As argued, social disorganization and organized crime possibly will result in having similar economic, political and social objectives.
Throughout many years, crime scholars have pointed to the potential benefits of focusing crime prevention efforts on crime places. A number of studies suggest that crime is not spread evenly across city landscapes. Rather, there is significant clustering of crime in small places, or hot spots, that generate a vastly disproportionate number of criminal events. Even within the most crime-ridden neighborhoods, crime clusters at a few discrete locations and other areas are relatively crime free. A number of researchers have argued that many crime problems can be addressed more efficiently if police officers focus their attention on these deviant places.