CJ 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Victimless Crime, Political Crime, Organized Crime
Types of Crime
The United States has more than a single crime problem. One problem is high, though currently
declining, rates of street crime (including homicide, assault, rape, robbery, and burglary). Much
of this type of crime is committed by an alienated and self‐destructive underclass. Another is the
drug‐crime problem, which is linked to the first problem. Some drug‐intoxicated individuals
commit crimes because they have lost their inhibitions while under the influence.
There are also crimes that stem from the drug business (for example, money
laundering) and crimes that arise from economic necessity, because users need money
to buy more drugs. Then, too, there is the organized crime problem, which is intertwined‐
with the drug crime problem insofar as drug trafficking is the major source of income for ‐
organized crime groups. In addition, there is a white collar crime problem. It, too, is ‐ ‐ ‐
linked to other types of crime. For example, federal investigators uncovered a scheme
in 1998 by two New York crime families and a half dozen Wall Street stockbrokers to
commit stock fraud.
Drug crimes. The drug crime category encompasses a range of offenses ‐
connected with the use, transportation, purchase, and sale of illegal drugs.
Street crime. The most common forms of predatory crime—rape, robbery,
assault, burglary, larceny, and auto theft—occur most frequently on urban
streets. Racial minority citizens account for a disproportionately high number of
the arrests for street crimes.
Organized crime. The term “organized crime” refers to the unlawful activities of
members of criminal organizations that supply illegal goods and services.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
The united states has more than a single crime problem. One problem is high, though currently declining, rates of street crime (including homicide, assault, rape, robbery, and burglary). Much of this type of crime is committed by an alienated and self destructive underclass. Another is the drug crime problem, which is linked to the first problem. Some drug intoxicated individuals commit crimes because they have lost their inhibitions while under the influence. There are also crimes that stem from the drug business (for example, money laundering) and crimes that arise from economic necessity, because users need money to buy more drugs. Then, too, there is the organized crime problem, which is intertwined with the drug crime problem insofar as drug trafficking is the major source of income for organized crime groups. In addition, there is a white collar crime problem. It, too, is linked to other types of crime.
